QUETTA: The polio virus has been detected in 25 sewerage samples collected from 20 districts across Pakistan.
According to sources, the latest weekly environmental testing, conducted between March 5 and 19, revealed the presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples from multiple locations.
The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio confirmed that sewage samples in three provinces showed signs of contamination. Positive samples were reported from nine districts in Balochistan, six in Punjab, and five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In Balochistan, the affected districts include Quetta, Kech, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Pishin, Loralai, Dakki, Naseerabad, and Osta Muhammad, NEOC stated.
In Punjab, the virus was found in Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, D.G. Khan, and Rahim Yar Khan. Meanwhile in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, poliovirus was detected in environmental samples collected from Peshawar, Bannu, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, South Waziristan, and Lower Dir.
On the other hand, 35 sewerage samples from 31 districts tested negative for the virus. Sources said that this marks the 13th instance this year when poliovirus has been detected in environmental samples.
This year the number of poliovirus-positive samples has crossed 150, sources shared. So far, six confirmed polio cases have been reported in the country this year. According to NEOC, the polio case was reported in Thatta, Sindh, bringing the total provincial number in 2025 to four and the countrywide number to six.
