KABUL, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The number of polio cases recorded in Afghanistan has risen to 20 this year after a new case was confirmed in restive southern region, the country's Ministry of Public Health said Wednesday.

The latest case of wild polio virus was detected in Shaheede-e-Hassas district, southern Uruzgan province, bringing to two the number of the polio virus cases in the district, the ministry said in a statement.

The paralyzed three-year-old boy had never been vaccinated due to his family's refusal for receiving polio vaccination.

A total of 14 cases have been recorded in southern Afghanistan and the six other cases reported in eastern Afghan provinces so far this year.

Polio virus could be transferred rapidly and the only preventable way was vaccination, the statement noted.

The ongoing insurgency and conflicts have been hindering the efforts to stamp out the infectious disease in the mountainous country.