HYDERABAD: An eight-monthold girl, declared a poliovirus carrier by the National Institute of health (NIH) Islamabad, already passed away before her second sample was to be collected by local health officials here.

According to information shared officially by the district administration here on Tuesday, Umrah, daughter of Salman, resident of Union Committee-47 in Paretabad town, was admitted in Liaquat University Hospital (LUH) Hyderabad on Aug 22 after developing symptoms of weakness in her limbs and bones. Upon a probe, a sample was taken on Aug 25 to investigate if she was affected by poliovirus, but the result wasdeclared negative on Sept 22.

Hyderabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Zainul Abiden Memon told Dawn that the child had complaints of diarrhoea besides a history of congenital heart disease and was acutely malnourished.

According to him, a sample was taken on Aug 25, but before her second sample could be collected, she died on Aug 28.

The DC added that her second sample`s collection was due on Sept 1 as per standard operating procedures (SOP) but the existing protocols demanded sampling of children in contact, which was done in September`s first week.

The samples of her 38-month-old brother Abbas, 45-month-old Hussain and three-month-old Khadija (both neighbours) were taken, of which Abbas was foundpositive and the rest remained negative.

`Abbas was found to be fully vaccinated as per EPI protocol and has not developed any Acute Flaccid Parlaysis (AFP) symptoms,` said an official press release. It said while Abbas`s case is that of a healthy contact sample, him being a carrier of WPV-I virus correlates it with Umrah`s case. `Hence, as per existing protocols, Umrah too has been assumed to be affected by WPV-I as her second sample could not be collected for further confirmation,` it said.

The district administration, health department and stakeholders have urged parentsto cooperate and ensure their children were vaccinated during immunisation campaigns and routine immunisation activities.