Karachi reports first polio case in nearly two years

A six-month-old boy from Karachi East has been diagnosed with polio, prompting renewed calls for vaccination

Pakistan has reported its seventh polio case of 2026 from Karachi East, marking a resurgence of the disease in the city after nearly two years, the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication (NEOC) said on Monday.

The affected child is a six-month-old boy from Union Council Jamali Colony in Karachi East, Sindh. The case was detected through the polio surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.

“The last case from Karachi was reported in December 2024,” the NEOC said, highlighting the continued risk of poliovirus transmission despite an overall decline in cases across the country.

A comprehensive investigation has been launched, while the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is assessing the response, including targeted vaccination activities and measures to strengthen routine immunisation.

Karachi has continued to report environmental detections of wild poliovirus throughout 2026, indicating that transmission remains a threat to children, according to the NEOC.

Of the seven polio cases reported in Pakistan this year, five have been recorded in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including four in the province’s southern districts, while two have been reported in Sindh.

Pakistan has reported a significant decline in polio cases over the decades, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025 and seven so far in 2026, following sustained vaccination efforts.

The country has conducted four nationwide polio vaccination campaigns in 2026, reaching more than 45 million children multiple times, alongside targeted oral and injectable vaccination activities in high-risk areas.

A subnational campaign in September vaccinated more than 29.3 million children. The next campaign is scheduled for November 2-8 and aims to protect nearly 24 million children across 97 districts, including all districts of Karachi.

Polio is a highly contagious disease that can cause permanent paralysis and, in some cases, death. Although there is no cure, it can be prevented through safe and effective vaccination.

The NEOC urged parents and caregivers to ensure that all children under five receive polio vaccine doses during every campaign and complete their routine immunisations.

It also called on communities, religious leaders and the media to counter misinformation and support vaccination efforts.