Polio case confirmed

LAHORE

A polio case in Punjab has been confirmed in Rahim Yar Khan district in a laboratory report of the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad. 

Punjab’s first polio case in 2015 was reported from Chakwal. A four-year-old child, who is son of a labourer Anwar Khan, has been reported from Goth Marasi village, Aloo Goth UC Kot Sanjar Khan, tehsil Sadiqabad. His sample was sent to the lab on December 2, 2015. The child is reported to be from a Pashto speaking nomad family which moved to Punjab from Loralai, Balochistan, in October 2015. The provisional diagnosis is GBS as the child has suffered paralysis in his both legs and arms as well as neck muscles.

Following preliminary information from district officials, a team of experts from health department, WHO, UNICEF and Gates Foundation have reached Rahim Yar Khan for investigations. Detailed report will be submitted by the team. In the year 2015, a total of 14 campaigns were conducted across the province. The Chakwal case was genetically linked with transmission in Karachi Gadap area. The first polio campaign of 2016 will be conducted in Punjab from 11 to 13 January, 2016.