A sample of Sohrab Goth’s environment has revealed the first finding of wild poliovirus in Karachi in 2023. The sample was reportedly collected on May 15; however, the NIH Pakistan Polio Laboratory has not yet released the results of its genetic sequencing.
August of 2022 at Landhi saw the detection of Karachi’s final positive sample.
The efficacy of anti-polio programmes can be gauged in part by testing samples of local sewage. An NIH official also noted that the presence of viruses in sewage indicates a decline in the immunity level of local youngsters, putting them at risk for contracting the disease.
Karachi sites are tested regularly
Every month, the Pakistan Polio Programme conducts poliovirus testing at 114 permanent environmental sites across the country. “It has been collecting additional sewage samples from multiple sites to further enhance surveillance in high-risk areas,” the official said.
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