POLIOMYELITIS (05): PAKISTAN (SINDH) ENVIRONMENTAL SAMPLE
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International Society for Infectious Diseases
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Date: Thu 8 Jun 2023
Source: The News International [edited]
https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1078361-environmental-sample-tests-positive-for-poliovirus-in-karachi
The poliovirus has been detected from environmental samples collected
from Karachi’s Gadap area, Dr Shahzad Baig — the coordinator of the
National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication — said in
a statement on Thursday [8 Jun 2023].
He said the virus was detected in environmental samples collected from
Karachi’s Gadap Town UC-4 in the Sohrab Goth area on 15 May 2023.
The polio programme chief said the disease was successfully limited to
southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa [KP] and added that this was
the 1st case reported from Karachi this year [2023] so far.
Earlier, positive environmental samples were reported in Lahore,
Hangu, Peshawar, DI Khan and upper South Waziristan, Dr Baig added.
Last week, the Pakistan Polio Laboratory, National Institute of Health
(NIH) confirmed that 2 environmental samples collected from the
Peshawar district of KP province tested positive for wild poliovirus.
According to the lab, the wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was found in
sewage samples collected from Naray Khuwar and Larama collection sites
on 9 and 16 May 2023, respectively.
It added the isolated viruses are genetically linked to the virus
cluster circulating in the neighbouring Nangarhar province of
Afghanistan.
Polio has been virtually eradicated from the world.
However, it has not been completely eliminated from Afghanistan and in
some parts of neighbouring Pakistan due to inaccessible areas, mass
displacement and suspicions of foreign interventions that hindered the
eradication efforts.
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