Latest news Pakistan reports sharp rise in polio infections

The authorities in Pakistan are concerned about an increase in polio infections. A spokesperson for the national polio control program told the German Press Agency that the number of new infections this year has doubled within a month: from 16 in September to 32 in October.

Half of the new infections were recorded in the south-western province of Baluchistan, which is difficult to access for vaccination workers due to militant activities, it added. Authorities spoke of an "alarming situation".

Campaigns overshadowed by violence

Pakistan regularly conducts door-to-door polio vaccination campaigns. However, ongoing attacks on vaccination teams and a general increase in violence from extremist groups are hampering the South Asian country's efforts. Vaccinations against polio are seen by some militant Islamists as a means of the West to supposedly sterilize Muslims.

Polio is a contagious infectious disease that can cause permanent paralysis or even death. The virus is often spread via contaminated water. There is currently no cure. The disease has been eradicated through vaccination campaigns in most countries around the world. Pakistan is one of the few countries where the wild type of the pathogen is still regularly contracted.

SDA