Pakistan reports ninth polio case of 2026 from Khyber district
Pakistan has recorded its ninth polio case of 2026, in a seven-month-old boy from Khyber district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The National Emergency Operations Centre says seven of this year's nine cases are from the province and two from Sindh.
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- Ninth polio case of 2026 reported from Khyber district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- Seven cases this year are from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and two from Sindh
- A campaign is under way in 97 districts for more than 24 million children
Pakistan has reported its ninth polio case of 2026, this time from Khyber district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC). The centre's count of polio cases across the country this year now stands at nine.
Daily Times reported that a seven-month-old boy tested positive for the virus and that the NEOC confirmed the infection on Thursday. According to the report, the child belongs to Mastak union council in Bara tehsil of Khyber district.
Minute Mirror reported that this is the third case from Khyber district this year. It takes the total for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to seven, while Sindh has recorded the remaining two of the nine cases. The outlet said the case has raised fresh concerns about cross-border transmission of the virus from Afghanistan.
An anti-polio campaign is currently under way in 97 selected districts across the country, and Khyber district is among them. Polio drops are being given to more than 24 million children under the age of five during the drive.
The campaign is being run at the same time in Pakistan and in Afghanistan. The NEOC has urged parents to make sure that their children receive polio drops during the ongoing campaign.
The centre also asked parents to complete the routine immunisation course on time, alongside the polio vaccination. It said polio is an incurable disease, but that protection against it is possible through vaccines.
The NEOC appealed to all segments of society to play their full part in eradicating polio from the country.
Background
khabr.pk reported on 1 November that Pakistan's eighth polio case of 2026 had come from Khyber district, and that a campaign aiming to reach 23.9 million children in 97 districts would run from 2 to 8 November. On 5 November khabr.pk reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered consultations with all four provinces and a coordinated polio plan within a week.
Why it matters
Polio affects children across Pakistan, and every new case shows the virus is still circulating. Parents of children under five in the 97 campaign districts are being asked to make sure their children receive the drops. The NEOC has also asked families to keep routine immunisation up to date. Polio cases also keep travel and vaccination restrictions in place for the country.
