Poliovirus was detected in a 31-month-old child from UC Gujro in Karachi East, becoming the fifth victim of the crippling disease this year, according to the National Institute of Health.

This is the second case from Sindh this year. Last month, the poliovirus was detected in a 24-month-old child from the same area in Karachi.

The health ministry spokesperson said that polio targets children with low immunity and the institution was working together with partners in the fight against polio.

Last month, poliovirus was found in a sewage sample collected from Karachi and the isolated virus belongs to the YB3A cluster circulating in Afghanistan.

Federal Minister for Health Nadeem Jan had urged parents to vaccinate their children in an upcoming vaccination drive to ensure that they remain protected.

“Polio has no cure and any paralysis caused by it is irreversible, only the polio vaccine offers lifelong protection,” the minister had said, “we are conducting targeted vaccination campaigns in all places where the virus has been detected and I urge all parents to get their children vaccinated.”

Last month, Jan announced a three-pronged strategy to stem the spread of poliovirus in the country as Pakistan aims to become polio-free country.