13 more polio cases reported in Pakistan, toll reaches 158
Polio virus has been diagnosed in the children from all provinces.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister’s Monitoring and Coordination Cell for Polio has confirmed 13 more cases of polio in the country on Wednesday, raising the toll to 158 this year.
According to details, FATA is the worst hit area with seven cases while three cases were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one each in Karachi, Bhakar and Balochistan province.
Polio virus mainly affects children below age of 5. Pakistan is in the spotlight as the only country with endemic polio that saw cases rise last year. Its caseload rose to 93 from 58 in 2012, accounting for more than a fifth of the 417 cases globally in 2013.
The virus invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours. There is no cure for the disease but it can be prevented by immunization. The polio vaccine, administered multiple times, can protect a child for life.
