Polio case from KP's Khyber takes nationwide tally for 2026 to eight

The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) has confirmed the eighth polio case in Pakistan for 2026, originating from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khyber district. The affected child is a 13-month-old girl from Union Council Janbaz-B in the Bara tehsil, as reported by the Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme (PPEP).

Polio remains a highly contagious disease with no cure, but it can be prevented through safe and effective polio vaccines. The PPEP has urged parents to ensure all children under five receive the oral polio vaccine during upcoming vaccination campaigns. While overall wild poliovirus transmission has declined, the Peshawar Block continues to report positive environmental detections, indicating ongoing virus circulation and a continued risk to children's health.

Pakistan has already implemented four large-scale polio campaigns this year, protecting over 45 million children, and the next vaccination round is scheduled from November 2-8.

Brief written by urgent.news from Dawn's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.