New polio case detected in Gujranwala

LAHORE: As presence of wild poliovirus (WPV) is noted in Punjab in the current year, a circulation of vaccine-derived poliovirus type-2 (cVDPV2) has also been detected with emergence of a maiden type-2 polio case in Gujranwala in the closing days of 2019.

Punjab has reported five wild poliovirus (WPV) cases including four cases from Lahore and one case from Jhelum so far in 2019, but the emergence of type-2 (cVDPV2) case in Punjab this year sets alarm bells ringing for failure to eliminate both forms of polio viruses from the province.

A 24-month-old male child has been confirmed as infected from type-2 (cVDPV2) poliovirus in tehsil (UC) Khiali Shahpur of district Gujranwala on November 22, 2019. The initial investigations revealed that the child, with poor socio-economic background, had received no IPV dose and suffered paralysis in his right lower limb. The authorities, however, have initiated immediate investigations into emergence of the first type-2 case in Punjab in the ongoing year.

Earlier, a total of 11 type-2 (cVDPV2) polio cases were reported from all over Pakistan including six cases from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four cases from Gilgit-Baltistan and one from Islamabad in 2019. The emergence of new case in Punjab raised the tally to 12 in Pakistan this year so far with Sindh, Balochistan and Azad Kashmir still free from type-2 (cVDPV2) poliovirus.

As per data, a total of 94 cases of wild poliovirus (WPV) have been reported in Pakistan in 2019 so far including five cases in Punjab, 14 cases from Sindh, 68 cases from KP and 7 cases from Balochistan, while GB, AJK and Islamabad are free from wild poliovirus this year so far.