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Health

Karachi reports first polio case in over 1.5 years as Pakistan's 2026 tally reaches seven

Pakistan's NEOC has confirmed the country's seventh polio case of 2026 — a six-month-old boy in Karachi East, the city's first case since December 2024.

By Sarah Whitfield · · 1 min read

Editorial illustration of a polio vaccine vial and oral vaccine dropper
Illustration: Flip News (AI-generated)

Pakistan has confirmed its seventh polio case of 2026 — a six-month-old boy from Karachi’s East district — the first case reported in the city since December 2024, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) said on Monday.

The child, from Union Council Jamali Colony, was identified through the polio surveillance network and the case was confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Islamabad. The NEOC said the boy was malnourished and had fallen victim to virus circulation already present in Karachi.

Environmental detections of wild poliovirus have continued in Karachi through 2026; only one environmental surveillance site in the city tested positive in September, the NEOC said, but vulnerable children remain at risk while the virus circulates.

Of the seven cases this year, five were recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — including four in the Bannu division — and two in Sindh. The latest case emerged about two weeks after the sixth case, involving a seven-year-old boy in KP’s Khyber district. Pakistan recorded 31 polio cases in 2025, with KP accounting for 20; Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries where polio remains endemic.

A comprehensive investigation has been launched and the Polio Eradication Initiative is assessing a science-based response, including targeted vaccination activities and support to strengthen routine immunisation. The next campaign runs from November 2 to 8, 2026, covering 97 districts with a target of more than 23.9 million children under five.

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