Further details of the confirmed detection of poliovirus in the environmental sample collected from Lahore indicated that the virus detected in Gulshan Ravi locality is similar to the poliovirus found last November in Afghan province of Nangarhar, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Tuesday. 

According to Federal Health Minister Abdul Qadir Patel, the detection of new poliovirus prompted authorities to plan additional polio campaigns in February and March in Lahore. 

He said that timely detection of the virus in the environment is essential to prevent children from contracting the poliovirus and being crippled. 

He detailed that Pakistan Polio Program has worked very closely with the Afghanistan Polio Program. The only way to prevent the spread of the virus is to vaccinate children up to five years of age. 

He advised that Parents, particularly in Lahore, should ensure that their children are vaccinated against polio in the campaign to be held in February. 

The Health Minister highlighted that the last case of polio from Lahore was reported in July 2020 and Polio virus was found in four environmental samples taken from Lahore district last year. 

Reporter: Kifayat Ali Shah