QUETTA: Five out of the 27 environmental samples collected from various parts of Balochistan tested positive for poliovirus, the provincial coordinator said on Saturday.

The Coordinator Emergency Operation Cell (EOC) Balochistan, Syed Faisal Ahmed, said the samples were tested positive for poliovirus in Quetta and Pishin districts of the province.

He, however, mentioned that the virus detected in Quetta and Pishin was not indigenous rather it belonged to Jacobabad and Afghanistan's Kandahar province.

A sample is deemed positive if the polio virus is found in sewerage water, which is the basic parameter to determine if anti-polio campaigns have been successful.

While cases of polio can be reported from any city, due to the frequent movement of people, if the virus is found in sewerage it means the anti-polio campaign in that area did not achieve its target.

"We are determined to eradicate this crippling virus," Ahmed said while addressing press conference in the provincial capital.

This year, one polio case has been reported from Balochistan, whereas last year six polio cases were reported from the province.

The EOC coordinator said that an anti polio campaign will begin in Balochistan from September 26.

More than 2.4 million children would be provided anti polio drops in order to eliminate the crippling disease from the province, he said.

He further informed that more than 6000 teams were constituted to ensure provision of polio drops to children below the age of five years.

In response to a question, Ahmed said police, levies and Frontier Corps personnel would be deployed to guard polio teams in Quetta and other parts of Balochistan to avoid occurrence of any untoward incident.

In Balochistan, militants have repeatedly attacked polio teams during anti polio campaign. Suicide bombing outside a polio centre in Quetta's Satellite Town area earlier this year killed 14 people including 13 policemen.