Pakistan's anti-polio drive suffers a blow after a northern enclave reports first case in 7 years

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan efforts to eliminate polio suffered another blow on Monday after a northern enclave reported its first case in seven years. Overall, it was the country's 11th case since January, despite the launch of several immunization drives.

The virus was detected in a child from the district of Diamer in the Gilgit-Baltistan region, according to the country's polio eradication program.

Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan remain the only two countries where the spread of the wild polio virus has not been stopped, according to the World Health Organization. There are ongoing outbreaks of polio linked to the oral vaccine in 10 other countries, mostly in Africa.

The new case was reported after Pakistan on Sunday wrapped up its third nationwide polio vaccination driv