ISLAMABAD: A polio case has been confirmed in Gilgit-Baltistan, marking a significant development in Pakistan’s ongoing battle against the crippling disease.
According to media reports, the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad has officially confirmed that a 23-month-old child from the Diamer district has tested positive for the poliovirus.
Health officials stated that this is the first-ever detection of the virus in Gilgit-Baltistan, a region previously considered polio-free.
The emergence of the virus in such an area has raised concerns among public health experts regarding possible gaps in immunization coverage.
This latest case brings the total number of polio cases reported across Pakistan in 2025 to 11 so far.
Health authorities are expected to launch emergency vaccination drives in Diamer and surrounding areas to prevent further spread of the virus.
Polio remains endemic in in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The government and international health partners have been working intensively to eradicate the disease through nationwide vaccination campaigns.