Pakistan Reports Seventh Polio Case of 2026 with Karachi’s First Infection in Nearly Two Years

Karachi East Reports Pakistan Seventh Polio Case of 2026

Pakistan has confirmed its seventh polio case of 2026 after a six-month-old male from Union Council Jamali Colony in Karachi East District tested positive for the wild poliovirus. The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) announced the confirmation on Monday, noting that the child was malnourished and identified through the national polio surveillance network. The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institutes of Health in Islamabad verified the test results. This marks the first polio case recorded in Karachi since December 2024.

Geographic Distribution of 2026 Cases Across Pakistan

The newly identified infection in Sindh brings the country’s total reported wild poliovirus cases to seven for the year 2026. Prior to this detection in Karachi, five of this year’s cases originated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with four localized specifically within the province’s southern districts. Two total cases are now recorded in Sindh, including the infant in Karachi East. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where the wild poliovirus remains present. Despite an overall 99.8 percent decrease in cases from an estimated 20,000 annually in the early 1990s down to 31 cases in 2025, active circulation persists in specific pockets.

The NEOC stated that Karachi has continued to show positive environmental detections throughout the year. These findings indicate that the virus remains a threat to children. Following the confirmation in Jamali Colony, the Polio Eradication Initiative launched a comprehensive investigation to evaluate transmission routes and coordinate a science-based response plan.

Upcoming Immunization Campaign Schedule and Scope

Health authorities have deployed four large-scale nationwide vaccination campaigns across Pakistan in 2026, reaching more than 45 million children multiple times. A subnational drive in September reached over 29.3 million children. To counter ongoing transmission risks, the National Emergency Operations Centre announced a subsequent subnational immunization campaign scheduled from November 2 to 8. This initiative will target nearly 24 million children across 97 selected districts, encompassing all districts of Karachi in synchronization with Afghanistan.

According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, the November campaign will deploy frontline workers to administer two drops of the oral polio vaccine directly to households. The regional breakdown for the upcoming drive includes over 9.278 million children in 13 districts of Punjab, more than 6.883 million children across 20 districts of Sindh, and over 4.808 million children in 27 districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Additional coverage will reach more than 2.217 million children in 31 districts of Balochistan, over 447,000 in Islamabad, more than 153,000 in three selected districts of Gilgit-Baltistan, and over 183,000 children in two districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Karachi Polio Detection

What specific factors contributed to the infection in the Karachi East infant?

The National Emergency Operation Centre stated that the six-month-old boy from Jamali Colony was malnourished and fell victim to virus circulation already present in Karachi.

How does the frequency of environmental detections compare to clinical cases in Karachi?

While Karachi did not report a confirmed clinical human case between December 2024 and the latest detection, the city consistently reported positive environmental detections throughout the year.

What organizations verified the laboratory results for the new case?

The positive test was identified through the national polio surveillance network and officially confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institutes of Health in Islamabad.

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