ABBOTTABAD: The Regional Reference Labo­ratory for Polio Eradi­cation at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad has confirmed the presence of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) in an environmental sample collected from Abbottabad district, bringing the total count of infected districts for the current year to 49.

Abbottabad District Health Officer Dr Faisal Khanzada told Dawn on Thursday that the environmental sample was collected on June 12 from the ‘Kala Pul Sheikh ul Bandi’ environmental sample collection site. This is the first positive sample from Abbottabad this year.

The likelihood of the environmental sample testing positive for poliovirus was attributed to the large influx of tourists and seasonal migrants from across Pakistan.

Dr Khanzada confirmed that all national-level campaigns against polio eradication were conducted in Abbottabad district without any interruptions, and the positive environmental sample could be attributed to the movement of visitors.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2024