DRAFT — Karachi Reports Seventh Polio Case of 2026, First in the City in Nearly Two Years

• Suggested slug: karachi-polio-seventh-case-2026
• Category: Health
• Focus keyphrase: Karachi polio case
• SEO title: Karachi Polio Case Takes Pakistan’s 2026 Tally to Seven
• Meta description: NEOC has confirmed a Karachi polio case — Pakistan’s seventh of 2026 and the city’s first since Dec 2024. Vaccination remains the only protection.
• Tags: polio, Karachi, NEOC, polio eradication, Sindh, vaccination, child health, Pakistan
• Original element: follow-up to Feature Pakistan’s own Oct 5 story on the sixth case (KP’s Khyber district), which this seventh case makes urgent
• Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2635744/karachi-polio-case-takes-pakistans-tally-to-seven-this-year (Tribune, published 19 Oct 2026)
• Story date: 19 October 2026

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Pakistan has recorded its seventh polio case of 2026, a Karachi polio case involving a six-month-old boy from Union Council Jamali Colony in Karachi East. The National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) for Polio Eradication confirmed the case on Monday, 19 October 2026.

The virus was detected through the polio surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad. NEOC said the child was malnourished and fell victim to virus circulation already present in Karachi.

First Karachi polio case since December 2024

This is the first Karachi polio case in nearly two years. The city’s last reported case was in December 2024. Environmental detections of wild poliovirus have continued in Karachi through 2026, showing the virus is still moving through the population.

Only one environmental surveillance site tested positive in September. Still, health officials warn that vulnerable children remain at risk wherever the virus circulates. Children who miss vaccination doses are the ones who pay the price.

The case in Jamali Colony fits that pattern. The boy was undernourished, which leaves children more exposed to infection, and he was infected by virus already circulating in the city.

How the 2026 tally stands

Of the seven cases reported this year, five are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including four from the Bannu division. Two are in Sindh.

The sixth case came about two weeks ago, a seven-year-old boy from KP’s Khyber district. Feature Pakistan reported Pakistan’s sixth polio case of 2026 on October 5, and this latest infection shows how quickly the virus keeps finding unprotected children.

A comprehensive investigation into the new case is under way. The Pakistan Polio Eradication Initiative is assessing the best science-based response, including targeted vaccination and stronger routine immunisation in the affected areas.

Campaigns so far in 2026

Pakistan has conducted four large-scale vaccination campaigns this year, reaching more than 45 million children. A subnational campaign in September alone vaccinated 29.3 million children.

The next nationwide campaign is scheduled for November 2 to 8. It will cover 97 districts, including all of Karachi, and aims to reach around 24 million children under five.

That drive is now more urgent than ever. Each case is a reminder that the virus exploits gaps in coverage, and Karachi’s latest case proves no city is safe while children remain unvaccinated.

Pakistan’s long fight against polio

The country has cut polio cases from roughly 20,000 in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025, a 99.8 per cent reduction, according to NEOC. Pakistan and Afghanistan are the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus remains endemic.

There is no cure for polio. Vaccination is the only protection a child has against the disease, which is why repeated campaigns target every child under five.

Routine health checks matter too. Parents can keep up with their children’s wider medical needs through guidance such as daily care routines for children with diabetes, while health policy reforms continue in the background, from the Sehat Card Plus audit to tighter rules on health products and supplements.

Health workers have identified the virus in Karachi’s environment throughout 2026. The November campaign, covering every district of the city, is the direct answer to that threat.

Why did Karachi go nearly two years without a case?

The city’s last case was in December 2024, but wild poliovirus never left Karachi. Environmental samples kept testing positive through 2026, which means the virus was circulating silently among unvaccinated children.

Which areas have reported cases this year?

Five of the seven 2026 cases are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four of them from the Bannu division. Two are in Sindh, including the new Karachi polio case.

When is the next polio vaccination campaign?

The next campaign runs from November 2 to 8, covering 97 districts including all of Karachi. It targets about 24 million children under five.

Is there a cure for polio?

No. Polio has no cure, and vaccination is the only protection. Health officials stress that every child under five must receive drops in each campaign round.