WHO reports six more polio cases in Afghanistan
The WHO has reported six new cases of wild poliovirus in Afghanistan, highlighting a concerning rise in infections. Experts attribute the increase to the Taliban's 2024 ban on house-to-house vaccination campaigns.
Why it matters
The resurgence of polio in conflict zones threatens global eradication efforts and poses a significant public health risk to children.
Editor's note: this story was translated from the original VOA Pashto article.
The World Health Organization has reported six new poliovirus cases in Afghanistan this week.
In a statement, the WHO said that the six cases of wild poliovirus type 1, or WPV1, were reported in the provinces of Kandahar, Nangarhar, and Kabul.
The WHO said so far this year, 48 positive cases of the wild poliovirus have been registered globally, 42 of which are in Afghanistan and six in Pakistan.
The number represents a sharp increase from last year.
In 2025, 52 positive wild poliovirus cases were reported worldwide, including 21 in Afghanistan and 31 in Pakistan.
Before the Taliban imposed a ban on house-to-house polio vaccination in Afghanistan, the number of positive poliovirus cases was low. There were only two reported cases in 2022 and six in 2023.
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