ISLAMABAD: Yet another child has been diagnosed with polio, taking the number of cases to 18 so far this year.

The latest case comes from a 24-month-old male child in Quetta district, said an official of Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health on Wednesday.

“This is the second polio case from Quetta district, the 13th from Balochistan, and the 18th case in the country this year (13 cases reported from Balochistan province, three from Sindh, one from Punjab, and one from Islamabad),” he said.

“The genetic cluster is YB3A4A and the case is 99.22 per cent linked to the first polio case of Quetta, which had an onset date of 29th April, 2024,” the official said.

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Meanwhile, the PM’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication, Ayesha Raza Farooq, in a statement expressed deep concern over the rise of polio cases in Balochistan and stressed the importance of reaching every child with multiple doses of the protective polio vaccines.

“What we are seeing is the outcome of missed vaccination opportunities in parts of Balochistan which have allowed the virus to thrive and survive over time,” she said.

“The high number of cases on both sides of the border, underscores the risk to children across the country and the importance of vaccination during upcoming polio campaigns,” Ms Farooq said.

She acknowledged the high-level engagement of the senior leadership of Balochistan province, particularly the chief minister, chief secretary and the Quetta commissioner.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2024