Four new cases of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) have been reported in Afghanistan, bringing the country’s total to 19 so far this year, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region polio bulletin.
The cases were reported in Herat, Paktika and Kandahar provinces. Two were recorded in Herat’s Shindand and Adraskan districts, while Paktika’s Dila district and Kandahar’s Arghestan district each reported one case.
The WHO bulletin, issued for the week ending August 16 and published on Sunday, August 23, said 22 WPV1 cases have been confirmed across the Eastern Mediterranean region in 2026, including 19 in Afghanistan and three in Pakistan.
Afghanistan recorded 21 WPV1 cases in 2025, while Pakistan recorded 31, bringing the regional total to 52 cases last year.
Environmental surveillance also indicates continued circulation of WPV1. A total of 176 positive environmental samples have been recorded across the region this year, including 58 in Afghanistan and 118 in Pakistan. No new positive environmental samples were reported during the latest reporting week.
The latest figures highlight the continued circulation of wild poliovirus in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the only two countries where wild poliovirus remains endemic.
