14 environmental samples return positive for poliovirus across Pakistan | Pro Hub of News

The National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed on Monday that 14 environmental (sewage) samples of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) from seven cities, including Karachi, have tested positive for the disease. According to The News, the samples were collected in October, with three from Peshawar, two each from Hyderabad and Karachi’s District East, and one each from Karachi’s Keamari, Karachi Central, Karachi West, Sukkur, Kohat, Quetta, and Islamabad.

In Peshawar, an environmental sample collected on December 6, 2023, marked the 27th positive sample from the district this year. The virus is classified as YB3A cluster and genetically linked to a polio case in Nangarhar (Afghanistan) on May 8, 2023.

In Kohat, the environmental sample from December 13 is the third positive sample this year, genetically linked to an environmental sample in Karachi East Gadap on November 13.

Karachi East reported positive samples from the Machar Colony site on December 11 and the Rashid Minhas site, with both linked genetically to previous cases in Karachi East Gadap.

Positive environmental samples were also found in Karachi Keamari, Hyderabad, Quetta, and Islamabad, bringing the total positive samples in Pakistan for 2023 to 112. However, the number of human polio cases in Pakistan in 2023 remains at six. China’s embassy in Washington denied the accusations, stating it was unaware of the details of the case and criticizing the US government and media for hyping up espionage cases based on unproven allegations.