Peshawar - Three more polio cases reported in Peshawar, Sheikhupura

Three new polio cases were diagnosed in Peshawar and Sheikhupura on Saturday.

Two more people were tested positive for polio virus in Peshawar taking the toll in the provincial metropolis to 14 this year. As many as 42 polio cases have been reported in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in last over nine months.

Official sources in health department, confirming two new cases in Peshawar’s suburban areas, said those affected by the polio virus were -Fizza, a 22-month old girl and a seven-month old boy Yaqoob living at Urmar Miana Afghan camp.

According to provincial health department, the number of polio cases has reached 42 in KPK. As many as 208 polio cases have been reported in the country this year, the highest since 2000 when 199 cases were reported.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nigeria are the only three countries in the world where polio remains endemic. In KPK, the polio cases were reported in different districts which include Peshawar 14, Bannu 12, Tank 5, Mardan 4, Buner 3, Lakki Marwat 2 and Torghar and district Nowshera with one case each.

Meanwhile, polio virus has been detected in a nine-month-old baby boy here in village Butter near Farooqabad on Saturday.

According to details, the personnel of anti-polio immunisation team during routine visit to the village found the baby boy, identified Husnain, as having suffering from the crippling disease. The boy was brought to Children Hospital Sheikhupura where doctors also confirmed the presence of polio virus. Meanwhile, a child specialist, who requested not to be named, informed that though the child carried polio virus, it was at the early stage. He claimed that the virus could be tackled through proper treatment and good care.

It has been learnt that the baby has been shifted to a Lahore hospital.

Meanwhile, DCO Rashid Kamal has constituted a three members committee comprising District Officer Coordination Ch Ghafoor, District Officer (DO) Health Dr Nadeem Sohail and Assistant Commissioner (AC) Dr Sidra to ferret out facts.

However ‘reportedly’ the DO health was transferred and despite attempt he could not be reached. On the other hand, the DOC despite repeated attempts did not respond the call on his cellphone.