WHO says 32 Polio-positive environmental samples detected

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Friday that 32 positive environmental polio samples had been found in Afghanistan so far this year. These results point forth a persistent issue in the nation's efforts to fight the disease, Khaama Press reported.

According to a recent announcement from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Afghanistan has reported five new instances of wild poliovirus, all of which are believed to have originated in the province of Nangarhar.

In the meantime, the nation has discovered 32 positive environmental samples this year, mostly grouped in the east. Notably, two samples were discovered, one in Balkh in the north and one in Kandahar in the south, demonstrating how far spread the problem is.

“Although the number of positive samples in Afghanistan has increased in 2023 compared to the year 2022, this was partly due to more intensive surveillance in the country, with more sites being sampled and increased frequency of testing,” according to the statement, reported Khaama Press.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a public health emergency in response to a recent environmental polio finding in Kandahar.

The absence of authorised house-to-house vaccination efforts in the southern region is cited as the main factor in the situation's high probability of a large outbreak. The confirmed case of polio highlights the urgent need for extensive preventive measures and vaccination campaigns to stop the outbreak from spreading further.

Afghanistan remains one of only two countries where the disease is still endemic. The other is Pakistan.