The National Operations Centre for Polio Eradication on Thursday confirmed the presence of the poliovirus in an environmental sample taken from Gadap Town, Karachi.

Shahzad Asif Baig, national coordinator of the National Emergency Operations Center for Polio Eradication, confirmed the presence of the poliovirus in Karachi. The sample, collected on May 15, tested positive, marking the first such occurrence this year.

Dr Baig raised concerns over the situation, highlighting the need for immediate action to prevent the spread of the virus.

The detection of the poliovirus in the environmental sample has raised alarm bells within the health authorities.

Efforts to confine the poliovirus to specific regions have been relatively successful, primarily in the districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Other positive environmental patterns have been reported in various regions, including Lahore, Peshawar, Hangu, DI Khan, and Upper South Waziristan.

Environmental samples were collected from 10 locations across the country. with six locations found to contain the virus originating from neighbouring Afghanistan.