The number of polio cases in Pakistan has risen to 70 after a new case was reported in Karachi, local media said on Friday.
The latest infection was detected in eastern Karachi and identified as a dangerous strain of the poliovirus, according to Pakistan’s National Polio Laboratory.
Most of the reported cases this year have been concentrated in the provinces of Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan, raising alarms about the spread of the virus despite ongoing vaccination campaigns.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative noted that Afghanistan has made significant progress in combating the disease, surpassing Pakistan in its efforts. Last year, Afghanistan recorded just 25 cases of polio compared with 69 cases in Pakistan.
Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries in the world where polio continues to circulate, according to the report. The resurgence of cases in Pakistan has heightened concerns among health officials about the effectiveness of containment measures and vaccination drives in affected regions.
Polio, a highly contagious virus that primarily affects children under the age of five, can cause permanent paralysis and even death in severe cases.
