The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) has confirmed the presence of the poliovirus in environmental samples collected from 22 districts across the country.
According to NEOC, a total of 56 environmental samples were gathered from 44 districts between March 17 and 19. The virus was detected in samples from major cities and districts, including Chaman, Dera Bugti, Quetta, Lakki Marwat, and Peshawar.
Further confirmations were made in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, and Qambar. In Karachi, the virus was found in samples from the Kemari, East, and Central districts. Additional detections were reported in Larkana, Mirpur Khas, Sujawal, and Sukkur, raising significant public health concerns.
In response, NEOC officials announced that the third National Polio Campaign of the year will commence on May 26 and will continue until June 1.