Pakistan has detected its fifth polio case of 2026, with the latest infection reported in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) said on Tuesday.
The NEOC said four of the five cases reported across the country this year have emerged from Bannu division, including three from Bannu district.
The latest patient is a 17-month-old girl from Khandar Khankhel Union Council in Domel tehsil of Bannu.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to account for the highest number of polio infections in Pakistan. The province recorded 20 of the 31 cases reported nationwide in 2025, while Sindh reported nine, and Punjab and Gilgit-Baltistan reported one case each.
The NEOC stressed that eliminating polio requires coordinated efforts from all segments of society. It said frontline vaccination workers remain committed to reaching children across the country, while parents and caregivers must ensure their children receive all required polio vaccine doses along with routine immunisations.
Communities, religious scholars and the media also have an important role in encouraging vaccination, addressing misinformation and helping ensure that children are protected against the virus, the centre said.
According to the NEOC, Pakistan has achieved a 99.8% reduction in polio cases through the use of safe and effective vaccines. The annual number of infections has fallen from an estimated 20,000 in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025 and five so far in 2026.
The centre said poliovirus transmission has declined overall since 2025, although the virus continues to circulate persistently in southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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