Pakistan: Three more polio cases takes count to 55 this year
Polio Cases Rise in Pakistan
In Pakistan, three new polio cases have been reported, increasing the total number of affected children to 55 this year. The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) of Pakistan confirmed these cases from Dera Ismail Khan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Zhob and Jaffarabad in Balochistan. The affected children include two girls from Dera Ismail Khan and Zhob, and a boy from Jaffarabad. This year, six cases have emerged from southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alone, while Balochistan has reported 26 cases.
The rise in polio cases has raised concerns among international organizations, prompting them to urge Pakistan to take emergency measures. Pakistan has assured these organizations of swift action to control the outbreak. Representatives from these organizations are expected to visit Pakistan later this month.
Earlier, the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed the 48th case of Wild Poliovirus Type-1 (WPV1) in a male child from DI Khan district, a polio-endemic area in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In a related incident, two policemen were killed in a terrorist attack on a polio vaccination team in the Upper Orakzai district. Police officials reported that three attackers were also killed in the exchange of fire.
Doubts Revealed
Polio
Polio is a disease caused by a virus that can make people very sick, sometimes leading to paralysis or even death. It mostly affects children and can be prevented with a vaccine.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a province in Pakistan. It's like a big area or state, similar to how India has states like Maharashtra or Tamil Nadu.
Balochistan
Balochistan is another province in Pakistan. It's known for its large size and is similar to a state in India.
Dera Ismail Khan
Dera Ismail Khan is a city in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It's one of the places where new polio cases have been found.
Zhob
Zhob is a town in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. It's another place where polio cases have been reported.
Jaffarabad
Jaffarabad is a district in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. It is one of the locations where new polio cases have been detected.
Wild Poliovirus Type-1
Wild Poliovirus Type-1 is a type of virus that causes polio. It's one of the most common types that can spread and make people sick.
Regional Reference Laboratory
A Regional Reference Laboratory is a special place where scientists test and confirm diseases like polio. They help in identifying and tracking the spread of the virus.
Polio vaccination team
A polio vaccination team is a group of people who go around giving polio vaccines to children to protect them from the disease. They are important in stopping the spread of polio.
Upper Orakzai
Upper Orakzai is an area in Pakistan. It's mentioned because there was an attack on a polio vaccination team there.
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