Staff Reporter:
Environmental samples collected from all sites in Quetta city indicate the presence of the crippling virus, which puts the lives of children below the age of five years at peril. This was revealed in a statement by an emergency operation cell (EOC) that deals with polio cases on Sunday morning. This statement has come a day after a 17-month old girl contracted the crippling virus at Chaman, Pakistan’s bordering city with Afghanistan.
Suspension of anti-polio campaigns in the aftermath of novel coronavirus has increased the dangers of the crippling virus, coordinator of the EOC, Rashid Razzaq said in the statement that’s copy was obtained by the daily Quetta Voice. Mr. Razzaq stated that more than 110,000 children under the age of five years would be administered anti-polio drops during the campaign in Quetta city.
The anti-polio campaign would kick start after four months of suspension in 10 union councils of Quetta city tomorrow (Monday). All polio teams and volunteers have been provided sanitizers and masks as per the guidelines set by the World Health Organization (WHO), Mr. Razzaq stated.
Balochistan has so far reported 15 cases of the poliovirus this year. “Do not put the lives of your children at risk”, Mr. Razzaq demanded of the parents to cooperate with polio teams and make sure provision of polio drops to their children. Pakistan has reported 59 cases of the poliovirus during the current year.
Increasing cases of the poliovirus have also sent alarm bells among the people currently battling the novel coronavirus.
