Poliovirus found in sewage across 12 Pakistani districts

Pakistan's National Institute of Health has confirmed the presence of poliovirus in sewage samples from 12 districts across three provinces. This detection includes Wild Poliovirus Type 1, found in samples collected between February 17 and 26. The affected districts include five in Punjab, four in Balochistan, and three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Notable cities with positive samples are Lahore, Quetta, and South Waziristan. In 2025, Pakistan has reported six polio cases, with previous years showing higher numbers. The country remains one of the last two where polio is endemic, alongside Afghanistan.