07 Dec 2019 | 10:24 PM UTC
Pakistan: Number of polio cases increases to 94 as of December 5
Health officials report 94 cases of polio as of December 5; further spread of the disease possible in the near term
Event
Pakistan's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) announced on Thursday, December 5, that three new polio cases have been reported in Larkana (Sindh), Dera Ismail Khan, and Lakki Marwat districts (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), raising the total number of polio cases recorded since January to 94. Further spread of the disease is possible in the coming weeks and months.
Context
Poliomyelitis, or polio, is an infectious disease caused by the transmission of the poliovirus through the intestines. The poliovirus is typically transmitted from one person to another by ingesting food or water containing infected fecal matter; in rare instances, it can be spread through infected saliva. Most poliovirus infections are asymptomatic while minor symptoms include fever, headache, and sore throat. One percent of infections enter the central nervous system, causing neck, back, and extremity pain, vomiting, and lethargy.
An effective vaccine against the disease exists. In late September, the Pakistani government launched a polio vaccination campaign aimed at immunizing 38.6 million children under the age of five.
Advice
Individuals in Pakistan are advised to verify their vaccination status and monitor developments to the situation.
