Four new polio cases put Pakistan total at 82

Officials on Saturday said four more polio cases have emerged in Pakistan, putting the total number of reported cases in the country this year to 82.

Emergency coordinator of the WHO’s polio eradication programme in Pakistan Elias Durry told Dawn.com on Saturday that of the four new cases, two are from Khyber Agency while the other two from North Waziristan tribal agency. “These (new cases) are children who have never been immunised before, and all belong to Pashtun areas,” he said.

Last month, the WHO imposed strict travel restrictions on Pakistan to prevent the possible spread of the polio virus to other countries.

Pakistan currently stands at the top in the last three polio endemic countries in the world, which include Nigeria and Afghanistan.

The WHO says the virus strain of polio found in Pakistan has affected as many as five countries over the past two years, becoming a serious threat to other countries.

Of the total 82 polio cases this year, at least 61 have now been reported from the volatile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), which hold the highest burden of the polio incidence. “For the first time since 2009, a campaign is being carried out in Bara tehsil, the first round of which was conducted last week. We hope to complete the remaining three rounds before the start of Ramazan,” said Durry.

North Waziristan however still remains a ‘difficult area’, he added.