ISLAMABAD: The country has broken its 13-year-old record of polio cases with the confirmation of eight more cases on Friday, raising this year’s count to 202. In 2000, 199 cases were recorded.

An official of the ministry of national health services said four cases had been reported from Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa, two from the Fede­rally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and one each from Sindh and Balochistan.

Sher Khan, a 20-month-old child, who has been reported to be with polio virus, is a resident of union council 2 in Bin Qasim Town, Karachi. He frequently travelled to Sohrab Goth, Gadap Town, with his family.

In KP, one case each has been reported from Mardan, Peshawar, Nowshera and Tank. In Fata, one case each has been reported from Khyber Agency and South Waziristan.

In Balochistan, a child who is a resident of Quetta, has been reported with the onset of polio.

Published in Dawn, October 4th , 2014