Polio cases surge in Pakistan ahead of vaccination campaign

Prior to the latest surge in infections, Pakistan was on the verge of eradicating the disease.

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The new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) included three in Balochistan, two in Sindh province and one in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Polio, an infectious disease that causes crippling paralysis among young children, has been virtually eliminated globally after decades-long vaccination drives.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the last remaining countries where it is still endemic. There is no cure for the disease, and paralysis caused by an infection is irreversible.

“This should be a wake-up call for all parents and communities,” Ms Ayesha Raza Farooq, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, said recently.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy890k9knkjo

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