LAHORE: Even as novel Covid-19 grapples Punjab capital with its most intense wave, the metropolitan city has successfully eradicated poliovirus.
Yes, Pakistan’s second-largest city has been declared free from the contagious virus. The incumbent Deputy Commissioner Muddassir Riaz Malik on Sunday confirmed the development while speaking with press personnel.
Malik also claimed on Twitter that the fifth environmental sample taken from Lahore has resulted negative. The previous 4 test of polio has also come out negative.
By the grace of Allah & efforts of our brave polio teams, cooperation of our parents & intense work from whole administration LAHORE IS POLIO FREE as all 5 environmental samples r negative.
We must all work together to maintain this landmark & continue to vaccinate our children.
— Deputy Commissioner Lahore (@DCLahore) April 11, 2021
Malik hailed the district administration and health department and called the moment a huge mutual achievement. The DC also asked to maintain this achievement with mutual effort and to keeping vaccinating maximum children.
Meanwhile, the polio campaign in different parts of the south Asian country faced many obstacles including targeted attacks by right-wing groups who’d attacked health workers.
Pakistan has recently started a countrywide polio eradication drive on March 29. The campaign has been launched to vaccinate 40.1 million children of age five.
The virus is contagious and spread through human interaction. The virus survives in an infected person’s throat and intestines. It affects minors and, in some cases, leads to irreversible paralysis. The disease can be deadly when breathing muscles are affected. Let it be known that the disease has no cure but the vaccine prevents children from danger.
