KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Afghanistan has recorded two new cases of wild poliovirus, bringing the total number of infections this year to six, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest update.
The first case was detected on April 14 in Nari district of eastern Kunar province, while the second was recorded on May 7 in Nahr-e-Saraj district of southern Helmand province, according to the WHO.
Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan remain the only two countries where wild poliovirus continues to circulate, despite decades of global eradication efforts.
Pakistan has reported three cases so far this year, WHO data showed.
According to the report, Afghanistan and Pakistan recorded a combined 52 polio cases in 2025, including 21 in Afghanistan and 31 in Pakistan, with all cases concentrated in border provinces where cross-border movement complicates vaccination efforts.
Additionally, the WHO reported 745 positive environmental samples in both countries in 2025, including 94 in Afghanistan and 651 in Pakistan.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that mainly affects children under five. It spreads through contaminated food, water or close contact and can cause permanent paralysis or death.
There is no cure for polio, but safe and effective vaccines can prevent it. Global eradication efforts have reduced wild poliovirus cases by more than 99% since 1988, but transmission has persisted in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Vaccination drives in both countries continue to face significant obstacles. Security issues, difficult terrain, and community resistance driven by misinformation, including unfounded claims that the vaccine causes infertility or serves espionage purposes, have hampered coverage in some areas.
In Afghanistan, the Taliban has long hindered polio eradication efforts and attacked health workers, especially in the southern regions. The group now faces significant challenges in combating the disease.
