Karachi polio case: 6-month-old boy in Jamali Colony is Pakistan's 7th case of 2026

Karachi has reported its first polio case in nearly two years: a six-month-old boy from Union Council Jamali Colony in Karachi East was confirmed with wild poliovirus on Monday 19 October, the National Emergency Operations Centre for Polio Eradication (NEOC) said, as Business Recorder reported. It is Pakistan's seventh polio case of 2026.

The last case from Karachi was reported in December 2024, the NEOC said. The new case was picked up by the surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad.

Seven cases in 2026: where they are

The sixth case, a seven-year-old boy in Khyber's Jamrud, was confirmed earlier this month (our report). Pakistan recorded 31 cases in 2025, down from an estimated 20,000 a year in the early 1990s, according to the NEOC figures.

Why a Karachi case matters

Sewage samples from Karachi have tested positive for wild poliovirus through 2026, the NEOC said, which means the virus has been circulating in the city even without a confirmed child case. A paralysed six-month-old shows that it is reaching children who are not fully protected. Polio has no cure; it can cause lifelong paralysis and is prevented only by vaccination.

The Polio Eradication Initiative has opened a full investigation and is planning a response around the boy's area, including targeted vaccination and work to raise routine immunisation, the NEOC said.

Next polio campaign: 2 to 8 November, every Karachi district

The next drive runs from 2 to 8 November 2026 and aims to reach nearly 24 million children in 97 districts, including all districts of Karachi. Four nationwide campaigns this year have already reached more than 45 million children, and a September campaign covered more than 29.3 million.

What parents in Karachi should do

1. Give the drops to every child under five each time a team visits, even if the child was vaccinated in an earlier round. Repeat doses build protection.
2. Keep the routine immunisation card up to date: the injectable polio vaccine is part of the free EPI schedule at government health centres.
3. If a vaccination team misses your home during 2 to 8 November, ask at your nearest government dispensary or basic health unit.
4. Families flying abroad should also check the polio certificate rule for travellers from Pakistan, which the WHO extended in September (details here).

The NEOC also asked religious leaders, communities and the media to counter misinformation about the vaccine.