A three-year-old child in Bannu was confirmed to have been infected with the polio virus on Tuesday.

The ministry of health said that this is the second case of polio virus detected this year. The first case ahd also been detected in Bannu in March.

Health Minister Abdul Qader Patel said that it was concerning that the child would feel the effects of the virus throughout his life.

He added that being infected by the polio virus is entirely preventable through vaccination and the government is actively working to achieve this end.

The World Health Organisation and the Global Polio Eradication initiative have set 2023 as a target year for the virus to be completely removed from the planet.