KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan has reported two more cases of poliovirus, raising the total number of cases to 10 this year, the National Health Services Ministry said on Wednesday.

The new cases were reported from northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), which shares half of the total polio cases logged this year.

The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad confirmed the virus in the affected children from Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts, a ministry statement said.

The government is set to launch the third phase of this year's nationwide polio vaccination campaign on May 26 in an attempt to contain the crippling disease.

The campaign aims to immunize millions of children under the age of five across 159 districts, including high-risk areas in KP.

Last year, the South Asian country reported 74 polio cases.