The National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) on Saturday said that three new polio cases were reported in the country, raising the total number of polio cases of this year to 21. Pakistan is one of the last two countries in the world, alongside Afghanistan, where polio remains endemic. Despite global efforts to eradicate the virus, challenges such as security issues, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation have slowed progress. A statement from the NEOC said the three recent cases were reported from Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. PM’s Focal Person for Polio Eradication Ayesha Raza Farooq expressed deep concern and said, “Parents should fulfil their responsibility, vaccination of children should be compulsory.” She added, “The govt of Pakistan is more determined than ever to eradicate polio.” Separately, the Punjab Health Department confirmed today that 70 new cases of dengue were recorded across the province in the last 24 hours. A spokesperson said that 60 cases were reported in Rawalpindi, three cases in Lahore, two cases each in Chakwal, Lodhran and Attock and one case in Gujranwala. Meanwhile, 326 new cases of dengue virus infections in the past week, bringing the total number of cases in Punjab to 958 for 2024. A spokesperson from the Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department assured the public that preventive measures were in place, adding that government hospitals were stocked with necessary medicines, including dengue treatments. The health department issued an advisory responding to the rising cases, urging citizens to maintain clean and dry surroundings to prevent mosquito breeding. The department also said that cooperation with health teams on the ground was essential to control the outbreak, adding that a free helpline was set up for treatment information and complaints. Health officials said that it was important to practice vigilance and proactive efforts to contain the virus’s spread throughout the province.