PESHAWAR, Jan 3: The NWFP government has recorded four polio cases in its Mardan district, according to a handout issued by its information department.

Before the new cases the district was deemed to be polio-free, but continuous refusal by parents to administer oral polio vaccine (OPV) to their children had allowed the disease to rear its head, said the press release.

The infected children posed the risk of transmitting the disease to healthy children, added the handout.

Eight-month-old Zakaria, son of Mohammad Ishaq and Wajiha, was diagnosed as suffering from polio. A daughter of Hazrat Jan, a resident of Aslam Kalley Bajaur Koroona, tested positive for polio.

Another victim was identified as four-year-old Babar Ali, son of Zafar Ali, of the Muhib Baba village. Janatullah, son of Omar of Jalat Khan Koroona, also tested positive for polio.

Officials said they had only received the final report of Zakaria, while the other three children had undergone preliminary investigations and final tests about them were awaited.

They said the department had examined and collected stool samples from suspected cases of paralysis flaccid.

The officials said they planned a special campaign after the emergence of polio cases in Mardan. The campaign will be run in Mardan, Charsadda, Swabi and other targeted districts to vaccinate all under-five children there.