Afghanistan, Aug. 24 -- Afghanistan has recorded four new cases of wild poliovirus type 1, bringing the country's total confirmed polio infections to 19 in 2026, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The latest figures highlight the continued spread of the virus in Afghanistan, one of only two countries where wild polio remains endemic.
The WHO said in its latest Eastern Mediterranean polio bulletin that the new cases were confirmed in Herat, Paktika and Kandahar provinces. Two infections were reported in Herat's Shindand and Adraskan districts, while the other two were detected in Dila district of Paktika and Arghandab district of Kandahar. The most recent confirmed case developed paralysis symptoms on July 17.
With 19 confir...