Polio Virus Detected in Sewage Samples Across 20 Districts in Pakistan

Islamabad – Traces of the Wild Polio virus Type 1 (WPV1) have been found in 25 sewage samples collected from 20 districts across Pakistan, raising fresh concerns about the persistence of the virus, according to health officials.

The findings were revealed following environmental testing conducted between March 5 and 19. The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio confirmed the presence of the virus in multiple provinces, highlighting the continued threat of transmission in vulnerable areas.

In Balochistan, nine districts tested positive for poliovirus, including Quetta, Kech, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Pishin, Loralai, Dakki, Naseerabad, and Osta Muhammad. Punjab reported positive samples from Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rahim Yar Khan. Meanwhile, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the virus was detected in samples from Peshawar, Bannu, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, South Waziristan, and Lower Dir.

Despite these findings, 35 samples from 31 districts across the country tested negative during the same period, indicating varying levels of transmission.

According to sources, this marks the 13th time in 2025 that polio virus has been found in environmental samples. So far this year, more than 150 positive environmental samples have been recorded, alongside six confirmed human cases of polio.

The most recent confirmed case was reported from Thatta in Sindh, bringing the province’s total to four and the national count to six for 2025. Last year, Pakistan recorded 74 polio cases nationwide.