A new case of polio has been confirmed in Pakistan's southern Sindh province, raising the nationwide tally to 27 this year, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) said on Monday.

According to the NIH, the latest case was reported in Hyderabad district, bringing the total number of cases in Sindh to seven in 2025.

Of the overall cases, 18 have been detected in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while east Punjab province and northern Gilgit-Baltistan region have reported one case each.

Pakistan remains among the last two countries in the world, along with Afghanistan, where polio is still endemic. Authorities cite security challenges, vaccine hesitancy, and misinformation as key obstacles in eradication efforts.

xinhua