Polio virus found in environmental sample in Karachi

Karachi: Polio virus has been detected in an environmental sample in Karachi, the health department in Pakistan's Sindh province said.

The newly detected virus is genetically related to polio virus cluster originally found in Afghanistan, Xinhua news agency qupted the department as saying.

Since the beginning of this year, about 20 samples of the kind were found in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces besides Karachi, where strict measures were taken to ensure vaccination for kids.

Health Minister Nadeem Jan told media that steps were being taken on an emergency basis to eradicate polio.

After the detection of polio virus in the city, a special anti-polio vaccination campaign from October 30 to November 3 was underway, and 10 million children up to five years of age were being vaccinated on their doorsteps.

The Minister appealed to parents to cooperate with polio teams and save their children from permanent disability.

Pakistan has so far reported three polio cases this year, all in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Bannu district.

Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic, according to the World Health Organization.