32 positive environmental samples of polio detected in Afghanistan this year: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday reported that Afghanistan has detected 32 positive environmental samples of polio within this year. These findings highlight an ongoing concern in the country’s efforts to combat the disease, Khaama Press reported.

Khaama Press is an Afghan digital news agency.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in a recent statement revealed that Afghanistan has reported five fresh cases of wild poliovirus, all originating from the Nangarhar province.

The country has meanwhile identified 32 positive environmental samples this year, primarily clustered in the eastern region. Notably, one sample was found in Kandahar in the south and another in Balkh in the north, underlining the widespread distribution of the issue.

According to the statement: “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.”

A recent environmental detection of polio in Kandahar has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a public health emergency. The situation is deemed to carry a substantial risk of a widespread outbreak, primarily due to the absence of authorized house-to-house vaccination campaigns in the southern area, as per Khaama Press.

This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive preventive measures and vaccination initiatives to mitigate the potential escalation of the outbreak. The situation in the southern region highlights the importance of coordinated efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of the people, as per Khaama Press.

“Any setback in Afghanistan poses a risk to the programme in Pakistan due to high population movement,” the statement warned.

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