ISLAMABAD, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) for Polio Eradication on Monday confirmed the country's seventh polio case of 2026 in southern Sindh province, marking the disease's return to Karachi after nearly two years.
According to a statement issued by the NEOC, the affected child is a six-month-old boy from Karachi East district. The city's last reported case was in December 2024.
The NEOC said a comprehensive investigation was underway, with authorities assessing additional vaccination measures to prevent further transmission.
It said five of the seven polio cases reported in Pakistan this year were detected in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while two were reported in Sindh.
The NEOC said Karachi continued to report environmental detections of wild poliovirus, indicating a persistent risk of transmission.
Pakistan has conducted four large-scale polio vaccination campaigns this year, vaccinating more than 45 million children multiple times. The next campaign is scheduled for Nov. 2-8, targeting nearly 24 million children in 97 districts, including all districts of Karachi. ■
