Health officials in Afghanistan's southern Uruzgan province have confirmed a new case of poliovirus, bringing the country's total number of infections in 2025 to nine.

According to local health authorities, the latest case was detected in an eight-month-old girl after medical teams from the provincial health department visited the area and verified laboratory results.

Saeedullah Mohajer, a member of Uruzgan's vaccination program, told reporters that a response team had been deployed to contain the outbreak and launch an emergency vaccination drive in nearby districts.

Health data show that one case has now been reported in Uruzgan, three in Helmand, one each in Badghis and Nuristan, two in Paktika, and one in Farah province this year.

Afghanistan and Pakistan remain the only two countries in the world where wild poliovirus has not been eradicated, according to the World Health Organization. Pakistan has confirmed 38 cases so far in 2025.

Experts warn that ongoing conflict, cross-border movement, and limited access to remote areas continue to hinder vaccination campaigns, putting thousands of children at risk.

Public health officials have urged both Kabul and Islamabad to strengthen coordination in cross-border immunization efforts, stressing that complete eradication of polio requires sustained cooperation between the two neighbors.

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