Wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) has been detected in sewage samples from 26 districts across Pakistan, health authorities confirmed.
The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH) reported that samples containing the virus were collected from various locations, including Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Jamshoro, and Kambar.
In Karachi, districts such as Central, East, Keamari, Korangi, Malir, and South also showed traces of the virus.
Additional districts where the poliovirus was found include Mirpur Khas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Sujawal, Sukkur, Chaman, Loralai, Pishin, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Bajour, Peshawar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Lahore, Multan, and Rawalpindi.
The presence of poliovirus in these environmental samples highlights the ongoing challenge of eradicating the disease in these areas.
Last week, a sub-national polio vaccination drive was conducted across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Islamabad. According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, the campaign successfully vaccinated over 42 million children.
The second phase of the campaign is set to commence on December 30 in Balochistan, aiming to immunize even more children and curb the spread of the virus.