KARACHI, Dec 7 (FD): In an alarming update, type-1 wild poliovirus has been detected in environmental samples, the National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) confirmed on Wednesday.
According to details, the positive samples were collected from Dera Ismail Khan (DI Khan) on November 19 and Lahore on November 17.
The tests were sent to Pakistan National Polio Laboratory for confirmation.
This is the first positive sample of wild poliovirus from Dera Ismail Khan in the ongoing year while Lahore has reported four positive cases samples of type-1 poliovirus.
The genetic sequencing result of these environmental samples is under process, NEOC added.
Earlier, Poliovirus was detected from sewage samples in Karachi after a gap of a year, the Sindh health department confirmed on Sunday, raising alarms as the country has so far reported 15 cases of the crippling diseases during the ongoing year.
It is pertinent to mention here that Federal officials have reported 13 confirmed cases of polio in North Waziristan and one in Laki Marwat this year.