Pakistan has confirmed its seventh wild poliovirus case of 2026, a six-month-old boy from Jamali Colony union council in Karachi’s East district. The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) confirmed the case on October 19. It is Karachi’s first reported case since December 2024, Minute Mirror reported.
The NIH Regional Reference Laboratory in Islamabad confirmed the infection. The child was malnourished, which weakens immunity.
The 2026 tally
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 5 cases, four of them in Bannu division. The sixth case was a seven-year-old boy in Khyber district, reported about two weeks earlier.
- Sindh: 2 cases, including the Karachi case.
Pakistan recorded 31 cases in 2025, so this year’s count is lower, but the virus is still circulating. One environmental sampling site in Karachi tested positive in September.
The next campaign: November 2 to 8
A subnational vaccination drive will target nearly 24 million children in 97 districts, including every district of Karachi, coordinated with Afghanistan. Four nationwide campaigns have already been held this year, reaching more than 45 million children several times.
What parents should do
- Give polio drops to every child under five at every campaign, even if they were vaccinated before. Each dose adds protection.
- Complete routine immunisation, including the injectable polio vaccine (IPV), at your nearest EPI centre.
- Good nutrition, clean water and handwashing reduce the risk of infection.
- Report any sudden weakness or floppiness in a child’s arms or legs to a health worker immediately.
Why polio persists
Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last two countries where wild polio is endemic. Insecurity in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, refusals and missed children in crowded urban areas have kept the virus alive. Read our Opinion coverage and more in Health.
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