Poliovirus found in sewage sample of 18 districts across country

ISLAMABAD: The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio has revealed that the Polio virus has been detected in sewage samples in at least 18 districts in Pakistan, according to media reports.

The sample test conducted in mid-April 2025 showed the presence of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) in sewage samples from multiple locations. The latest environmental testing was conducted by NEOC for polio.

The NEOC confirmed the presence of the virus in all four provinces. Positive samples were reported from three districts in Baluchistan, six in Sindh, six in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and two districts of Punjab, and also in Islamabad.

“The lab confirmed detection of wild poliovirus type 1 in sewage samples of Loralai, Quetta, Zhob, Islamabad, Abbottabad, Bannu, DI Khan, Peshawar, Tank, North Waziristan, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Badin, Jamshoro, Hyderabad, Kashmore, Karachi, and Sukkur.”

According to the NEOC, eight cases of poliovirus have been documented in the country as of 2025, whereas 74 polio cases were registered in the country in 2024.

Polio is a devastating disease with no treatment. To establish strong protection against this illness, all children under the age of five must get multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and complete the standard immunization.

The Pakistan Polio Program undertakes repeated mass vaccination drives each year, delivering vaccines to children’s homes, whilst the Expanded Program on Immunization delivers free immunizations against 12 childhood illnesses at health facilities.

The next nationwide campaign is scheduled from May 26 to June 1, aiming to vaccinate 45.4 million children under the age of five across the country.