Pak: 2 more polio cases take countrywide toll to 39

Karachi [Pakistan], October 19 (ANI): Two new polio cases have been reported from different areas of Pakistan, taking the toll up to 39 this year in the country, ARY News reported on Saturday, citing its sources.
ARY News reported that two new polio cases have been reported from the Sanghar and Mirpur Khas districts of Sindh province.
Pakistan's National Reference Lab of National Institutes of Health (NIH) confirmed these cases, as per ARY News.
On Friday, three new polio cases were reported in Balochistan, after which the number of cases reached to 20 in the province this year.
The Health Department of Balochistan confirmed the three new polio cases from the districts of Chaman, Pishin, and Nushki area of Balochistan. The affected children include a nine-month-old from Chaman, an 18-month-old from Pishin, and a five-year-old from Noshki, all of whom have been left disabled due to the disease, according to health department sources.
This recent surge has brought the nationwide total of polio cases in Pakistan to 39 in 2024, raising concerns over the ongoing struggle to eradicate polio from the country.
Pakistan reported another polio case on Friday, taking the toll to 33 after a child from Quetta was diagnosed with the virus, as per ARY News.
According to details reported by ARY News, the affected child showed symptoms of polio on August 22. Quetta city has reported three polio cases, with 37 sewerage samples testing positive for the virus. Additionally, 11 polio cases and 65 positive sewerage samples have been reported from the Quetta block.
This is the 39th case to be reported from Pakistan in 2024 as Balochistan turned out to be most affected with 20 cases, ARY News reported.
Meanwhile, 10 polio cases have been reported from Sindh, four from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Islamabad and Punjab, as per ARY News. (ANI)