Pakistan Confirms Two New Polio Cases in KP, 2026 Tally Rises to Three

Fresh Cases Reported in Bannu, North Waziristan

Hamid Khan Wazir

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported two fresh cases of wild poliovirus on Friday from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), renewing concerns over persistent transmission in hard-to-reach areas. These latest infections bring the total number of confirmed polio cases in Pakistan to three so far in 2026.

The National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) confirmed two new cases of wild poliovirus in two districts of KP, where access constraints continue to aid poliovirus transmission, posing a continued risk to children’s well-being. The affected children belonged to the Jani Khel union council of Bannu and the Garyom union council of North Waziristan districts.

“The two new cases were reported through the poliovirus surveillance network and confirmed by the WHO-accredited Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH).” he added.

The first case of the year was reported from Sindh, while the detection of two cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has raised the polio tally to three.

Despite decades of sustained efforts under the national polio eradication programme, challenges related to accessibility and vaccine coverage continue to hinder complete elimination of the virus, particularly in remote and security-sensitive regions.

Since the launch of the Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) in 1994, Pakistan has made remarkable progress in reducing the burden of polio. As a result, polio cases have declined by 99.8%, from an estimated 20,000 cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025.

While overall poliovirus transmission in the country has been on a downward trend, falling from 74 cases in 2024 to 31 in 2025 and three so far in 2026—reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination campaigns—virus circulation in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) continues to persist. Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus cases are still being reported.

Health experts, however, warn that the detection of new cases underscores the ongoing risk posed by the virus. They stress that uninterrupted vaccination campaigns, coupled with improved access to underserved and high-risk areas, remain critical to achieving the goal of complete polio eradication because no child in Pakistan will be safe until every child is safe.

The PEI is already analysing the best science-based response to reach and immunise children in this region and prevent further poliovirus transmission. In addition, the PEI is implementing alternate strategies in southern K-P, including integrated service delivery of health services like nutrition, routine immunisation, maternal and child health, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), as well as a community-based polio vaccination initiative to increase vaccination rates and build immunity.

Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and, in some instances, even death. However, the disease can be prevented thanks to polio vaccines, which are safe and effective and have been used safely in 195 countries, including all Muslim countries.

In 2026, Pakistan has already implemented two nationwide polio campaigns that protected approximately 45 million children, while the next campaign is planned in May to immunise nearly 19m children.

The PEI urges all parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are vaccinated during every campaign to protect them from lifelong disability and/or death. The Pakistan Polio Programme conducts multiple mass vaccination drives in a year, bringing the vaccine to children at their doorsteps.