By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi
ISLAMABAD: Two new cases of polio have been confirmed in Bannu and North Waziristan districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the total number of reported cases in the country this year to three.
According to the National Emergency Operations Centre, the latest cases involve two girls aged five months and two years. Officials said both children belong to high-risk areas where poliovirus transmission remains a concern.
Health authorities said emergency response measures had been launched in the affected regions to prevent further spread of the virus. Surveillance has been intensified, and vaccination teams have been mobilised to contain the situation.
Officials added that the first polio case of the year was reported from Sujawal district in Sindh. With the two new cases from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the national tally has now reached three.
The EOC also announced a targeted anti-polio campaign scheduled for this month in selected districts across the country, aimed at vaccinating around 19 million children. It said comprehensive security arrangements would be made to ensure door-to-door immunisation.
Health experts warned that the poliovirus continued to persist in certain regions, particularly where vaccination coverage remained low or security challenges hindered immunisation efforts.
