The New York Times: Polio Cases Surge in Pakistan and Afghanistan

The number of polio paralysis cases in Pakistan has almost tripled since last year, with 32 cases as of July 10. The World Health Organization estimates that, for each paralyzed victim, around 200 others who are infected are spreading the virus in their stool. To combat this, Pakistani officials announced that they would streamline their national vaccine drive to achieve higher efficiency and less intrusiveness. Unfortunately, the progress has been severely stunted due to false rumors that spread on social media, claiming that the vaccine had triggered fainting spells, and killed many children. As a result, many families have locked their doors to vaccinators; families have even been split. The eradication of polio from Pakistan may take longer than the country’s hopes. For the full article, click here.