ISLAMABAD: Poliovirus has been found in another environmental sample taken from Lasbela district of Balochistan, taking the positive environmental samples’ tally for the current year to 173.

An official of Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme told Dawn on condition of anonymity that the National Institute of Health Islamabad has confirmed the detection of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) from Lasbela district.

“The sample was collected from Jamali Mohallah environmental site. It is third positive sample from Lasbela district this year. The previous two positive samples were collected on Jan 23 and April 22. The isolated virus is classified as YB3A cluster and 99.44pc genetically linked to the virus detected in an environmental sample in Karachi East on Jan 11 this year,” he said.

He said 173 positive environmental samples have been reported from 44 districts in the current year so far.

“In 2023 as many as 126 positive environmental samples were reported from 28 districts. It shows the virus has been continuously spreading in districts which were earlier virus free,” he said.

“A sample is considered positive if poliovirus is detected in sewage water. A sewage water sample from an area is the basic parameter to determine if polio vaccination campaigns are being carried out successfully,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2024