NEOC Confirms Two Fresh Polio Cases

National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) on Polio Wednesday confirmed two new polio cases from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 4th Sep, 2019 ) :National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) on Polio Wednesday confirmed two new polio cases from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to an official of NEOC, a polio virus was reported in Killa Abdullah from Balochistan in 11 months old child while another was reported from Lakki Marwat in five months old girl.

He said that with addition of these new cases, the figure of reported polio cases reached at 60 for current year, out of which 45 cases have been reported from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa only.

He said that 32 cases have been reported from Bannu Division in total cases of KP.

He said that the poliovirus situation in KP is alarming due to which the government has successfully completed polio immunization drive in 26 districts of KP last week.

He said the cause behind having polio virus in Bannu was refusal of polio vaccination by patents. He added after confirmation of polio virus, the patents accepted that they refused the vaccination for their children on wrong propaganda.

Considering the associated risks, the country programme has urged parents to ensure immunization of all children under the age of five years during the polio campaigns, he added.

He said that the programme is focusing on children who miss vaccination because on any reason and let the virus survive no longer.

He said that continued presence of polio virus in the sewage of those major cities poses risks to all vulnerable and unprotected children across Pakistan.

He said that polio is a highly infectious disease caused by polio virus mainly affecting children under the age of ten years. It invades the nervous system, and can cause paralysis or even death.

He added while there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease.

He said each time a child under the age of five is vaccinated, their protection against the virus is increased.

He said that repeated immunizations have protected millions of children from polio, allowing almost all countries in the world to become polio free.