The National Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health, Islamabad (NIH) confirmed that Type 1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) was found in environmental samples taken in August from five cities in August-September 2022.
The National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination (NHSR&C) authorities were quoted in The News as adding that the latest environmental samples were obtained from District Bannu, Peshawar, Swat, South Waziristan, and Rawalpindi.
An officer of the NHSR&C stated, “This is the eighth environmental sample from Bannu found to have the virus, the fourth sample from Peshawar, and the third positive sample from each of Rawalpindi and Swat this year.”
This is the first positive environmental sample from South Waziristan since the type 1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) case from the district was verified last week, he noted. There will be a total of 27 positive environmental sampling results in 2022.
Eight positive samples from Punjab (three each from Lahore and Rawalpindi and one from Bahawalpur & Sialkot), seventeen positive environmental samples from KP (eight from Bannu, four from Peshawar, three from Swat, and one each from Nowshera and South Waziristan), and one positive sample from Sindh (Karachi Landhi) and Islamabad.
In April, two in May, one in June, seven in July, fifteen in August, and one in September of 2022, positive environmental samples were found. 65 positive environmental samples were found nationwide in 2021.
Extended communication initiatives were also carried out this month in the districts where recent environmental testing results were positive. Additionally, a mop-up operation is currently underway in the five districts of KP where it has just been discovered.
