ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: The daughter of an Afghan national in Karachi and the grandson of a South Waziristan resident, known for his strong opposition to polio vaccine, are the latest victims of the deadly virus, it emerged on Sunday.
Both the children are yet to see their first birthday. With the addition of these cases — one each from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh — this year’s total number of victims of the crippling disease has reached 62, the highest since 2015.
Twelve cases were reported in 2018, while only eight children had been tested positive for the virus in 2017.
About the latest case from KP, an official of polio virology laboratory at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad, requesting anonymity said: “It was a clear case of refusal.”
The victim was a 10-month-old boy. The case was detected in South Waziristan.
“The child’s grandfather was against polio vaccine,” the official explained, adding that his father was said to be a labourer in Dubai.
Tally breaks five-year record with 62 victims
About the latest case reported from Sindh, the official said an eight-month-old girl was found infected with the virus in Karachi’s Orangi area.
“The child, whose father is an Afghan national, is resident of Sector F-11, UC-1, Orangi Town, District Karachi West. Child was alright before she developed high-grade fever, followed by weakness in both lower limbs, on 20th August. According to her mother, they took her to Dr Mohammad Yar at Shoaib Medical Center where she got medication. The doctor had notified the child as carrier of polio virus on Aug 24. But as incubation time of virus is almost three weeks, it has been finally confirmed that the child was paralysed due to polio virus,” he added.