The World Health Organization announced that 15 confirmed polio cases have been recorded in Afghanistan since the beginning of 2026. Last year saw 21 cases, bringing the cumulative total to 36.
Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries in the world where polio is still endemic. So far this year, 53 environmental samples have tested positive in Afghanistan, compared to 94 last year. Pakistan recorded 3 confirmed cases this year versus 31 in the previous year.
Experts warn that the Taliban government's decision to halt door-to-door vaccination campaigns and shift them to mosques has deprived many children of the vaccine, and is a key factor behind the rising polio cases in Afghanistan.
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