ISLAMABAD: As many as four new cases of polio have been reported from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtun­khwa, taking the tally for the current year to 12.

Though just 39 days of 2020 have passed, Pakistan has already equalled the total number of cases for 2018, in which only 12 cases were reported.

An official of the National Institute of Health (NIH) said on condition of anonymity that the cases of Sindh were reported from Badin and Kambar, while both cases of KP were reported from Lakki Marwat district.

“In Sindh, a 36-month-old girl, resident of Badin district and tehsil, Badin 1 union council, has been infected with the virus of the crippling disease. The other case from the province is of a 42-month-old girl, who is a resident of Kambar district, Miro Khan tehsil, Khabar union council,” he said.

“As far as cases of KP are concerned, an 18-month-old boy, resident of Lakki Mar­wat district, Bettani tehsil, Ghundi Hassan Khel union council, has been paralysed due to poliovirus. The other child from the province is a nine-month-old girl, who is also a resident of Lakki Marwat district, Serae Naurang tehsil, Kot Kashmir union council,” he said.

It is worth mentioning that a total of 144 cases were reported in the year 2019 as compared to 12 cases in 2018 and only eight cases in 2017.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2020