QUETTA: A new case of poliomyelitis was confirmed on Tuesday in a 4-month old boy in Mehmoodabad area of Chaman district Killa-Abdullah which borders closely to Afghanistan, confirmed Emergency Operations Center Balochistan

According to the parents, during the last week of December the child developed high grade fever along with weakness in limbs. He was first taken to a local dispensary and later on brought to a pediatrician in Quetta where he was diagnosed with polio after confirmation from the National Institute of Health Laboratory. He did not receive any does of routine immunization.

The child was not vaccinated repeatedly and had received only 02 doses of polio vaccine.  Parents had misconceptions about repeated vaccination.

It was the 2nd case of polio in Balochistan in 2016. Around 20 cases reported in Pakistan in 2016

The environmental samples taken last week of December from Chaman, Quetta and Pishin have been continuously positive reflecting on high grade circulation of polio virus in the area.