The Pakistan Polio Eradication Programme has confirmed the presence of the wild poliovirus type 1 in 47 environmental samples collected from across the country in May.

According to a statement issued by the programme on Friday, a total of 116 environmental samples were collected last month from different districts for laboratory testing.

Of these, 69 samples were declared negative, while 47 were found to be positive for the virus, indicating ongoing transmission in various parts of the country.

The virus was detected in sewage samples collected from 34 districts, including 14 districts in Sindh, eight in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, six in Balochistan, and four in Punjab. In addition, one environmental sample each from Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan also tested positive for the virus.

“All 47 positive samples have been confirmed to contain the wild poliovirus type 1,” the programme said. It added that the recurring detection of the virus in environmental samples is a cause for serious concern.

“The presence of poliovirus in the environment is a clear threat to the health and safety of children. We urge all parents to ensure their children receive polio drops every time the vaccination teams visit,” the statement said.

Health officials have repeatedly stressed that environmental detection of the virus, particularly in urban sewage systems, indicates silent transmission even in the absence of reported paralytic cases. The virus can circulate in communities for extended periods without being noticed unless proper immunisation coverage is maintained.

Pakistan and Afghanistan remain the only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic. The repeated appearance of the virus in environmental samples underscores the need for sustained immunisation campaigns and community cooperation.