Afghanistan reports third Polio case of 2023

Kabul [Afghanistan], May 26 (ANI): Afghanistan has reported the third case of the poliovirus of 2023 as the health authorities detected it in Nangarhar province, Khaama Press reported. A new polio case from the Nazyan district of Nangarhar province has been reported, affecting a 30-month-old male child. With this, there have been three confirmed polio cases in the nation so far this year, all of which are from the province of Nangarhar. According to the ministry, the province is facing a high risk of poliovirus due to the lap also reporting some WPV1-positive environmental samples from the east region, particularly Nangarhar province.

According to Khaama Press, the Nazyan district location where the polio case was reported has low sanitation and personal hygiene standards. In areas with poor sanitation, the poliovirus can persist for longer and readily infect children playing there. Taliban’s acting minister of public health, Qalander Ibaad, called on the polio vaccine workers to intensify vaccination efforts and accelerate activities to protect children from this incurable disease and prevent its further spread while admiring the recent progress in polio eradication. Polio can only be prevented and eradicated by vaccinating children and practising good personal and environmental cleanliness. The first polio case this year in the country on May 13, affected a four-year-old child in the Nangarhar province.