New Delhi, November 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Pakistan has reported its eighth polio case of 2026, involving a 13-month-old girl from Janbaz-B Union Council in Bara tehsil of Khyber District, highlighting continued gaps in vaccination coverage despite repeated nationwide campaigns, according to a Geo News report.
This is the second case from Khyber District and the sixth from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) this year. Of the eight cases reported nationwide, six are from KP, including four from southern KP, while two are from Sindh.
Officials said environmental surveillance in the Peshawar Block, covering Khyber and Peshawar districts, continues to detect the virus, indicating ongoing transmission. The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative has launched an investigation and is assessing targeted vaccination and routine immunisation measures to prevent further spread.
Pakistan has conducted four large-scale polio campaigns in 2026, reportedly protecting more than 45 million children multiple times, alongside targeted drives in high-risk areas. A September subnational campaign covered over 29.3 million children, the report said.
The next vaccination round is scheduled from November 2 to 8, targeting nearly 24 million children across 97 districts, including Khyber.
Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8 per cent, from an estimated 20,000 in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025. However, it continues to report fresh infections.
Polio is a highly contagious, incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis or death, but it is preventable through vaccination. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the two countries where the disease is endemic, according to the report.
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