Tally for polio cases in 2020 rises to 21

ISLAMABAD: Three cases of polio have been recently reported from Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) due to which the tally for the current year has reached 21.

An official of the National Institute of Health said that in Balochistan, a seven month-old boy, resident of Ward 1-10B Union Council, Sibi tehsil and district, had been infected with the poliovirus. “The child belongs to a poor family as his father is a labourer. The boy has not received any dose of pollo vaccine as his parents are not in favour of vaccination,” he said.

“In KP, a 32-month-old girl, resident of Abbakhel UC, Lakki Marwat tehsil and district, has been infected with polio. In Punjab, an eight-month-old boy, resident of Hairo Shargi UC, Taunsa tehsil, Dera Ghazi Khan district, has been infected with the virus of the crippling disease,” the official informed.

It is pertinent to mention here that polio is a highly infectious disease caused by a virus mainly affecting children under the age of Eve. The virus invades nervous system of the victim and can cause paralysis or even death. While there is no cure for polio, vaccination is the most effective way to protect children from this crippling disease.

-MN Report