The presence of the wild polio virus (type 1) has been confirmed in 47 environmental samples collected from across Pakistan, raising serious concerns about public health risks—especially to children.
According to the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme, a total of 116 samples were collected in May 2025. Out of these, 69 samples were clear, while 47 tested positive for the polio virus, spread across 34 different districts.
The virus was found in 14 districts of Sindh, 8 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6 in Balochistan, and 4 in Punjab. Additionally, Islamabad and one district in Gilgit-Baltistan also reported positive environmental samples.
Health experts say this widespread presence of the virus proves that polio is still being locally transmitted in several regions. This is a serious setback for Pakistan’s polio eradication efforts, especially in communities with low vaccination coverage.
The polio program has urged parents to vaccinate their children repeatedly, even if they’ve received doses before. Consistent vaccination is the only way to stop the virus from spreading. Officials also emphasized the need for collective public cooperation to eliminate the disease completely.
So far in 2025, 11 confirmed polio cases have been reported in Pakistan: 9 in KP, 1 in Punjab, and 1 in Balochistan. These figures highlight the urgency to strengthen immunization campaigns across the country.