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Polio cases reach 8 in Afghanistan so far this year: official

Xinhua, October 10, 2016 Adjust font size:

The number of polio cases recorded in Afghanistan has risen to eight this year with a new confirmed case, the country's Public Health Ministry said on Monday.

"The investigation revealed that the case of Bermal, Paktika, was a polio case that was genetically linked to a virus from South Waziristan (Pakistan), whereas the case of Kabul was confirmed to be negative for polio," the ministry said in a statement.

"This brings the total number of polio cases to eight in Afghanistan in 2016," the statement noted.

After the detection of the fresh case in the eastern Paktika province bordering Pakistan, the ministry has launched two supplementary immunization activity (SIA) campaigns there in recent months, according to the statement.

The ministry will also launch "the National Immunization Days on Oct. 17 to deliver oral polio vaccines (OPV) house-to-house along with de-worming tablets for children under the age of five," throughout the country.

"Afghanistan remains one of the last three polio-endemic countries in the world. The Ministry of Public Health and partners continue their efforts toward polio eradication." the statement added.

The ongoing insurgency and conflicts have been hindering the efforts to stamp the infectious disease out in the mountainous country. Endit