ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded a significant decline in the detection of poliovirus in environmental samples during the first half of 2026, reflecting progress in the country’s polio eradication efforts, according to the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC).
The NEOC said the environmental positivity rate fell from 48.1% during the same period last year to 13.1% in the first six months of 2026. Between January and June, the number of positive environmental samples dropped from 369 to 100.
In June alone, authorities collected 127 environmental samples nationwide, of which 117 tested negative for poliovirus while 10 samples were confirmed positive.
Provincial data showed encouraging results, with all 31 samples from Punjab testing negative. In Sindh, 28 of 29 samples were negative, while 30 of 34 samples in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 18 of 23 samples in Balochistan were also free of the virus.
The NEOC said Pakistan has confirmed three polio cases so far in 2026. It added that environmental surveillance, vaccination coverage, and access to immunization services are being further strengthened to eliminate the disease.
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The center urged parents to ensure every child under the age of five receives polio drops during every vaccination campaign. It also called on community leaders, religious scholars, doctors, and the public to support the national eradication drive, while paying tribute to polio workers for their continued efforts.
