Karachi: A 28 year old man from Karachi has tested positive for Mpox with no recent travel history, raising fresh concerns about ongoing local transmission of the highly virulent clade 1b strain of the virus already circulating in parts of Sindh and southern Punjab, health officials said on Tuesday.
The patient, a resident of Star Gate area, was diagnosed at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) after presenting with a week long history of fever followed by the appearance of a pustular rash over the past two days.
JPMDC officials said laboratory testing through PCR confirmed Mpox infection, making it one of the latest confirmed cases in Karachi amid a wider outbreak in the province.
According to clinicians at JPMC, the patient developed multiple erythematous papules and pustules with central umbilication, a hallmark feature of Mpox, involving the arms, forearms, hands, feet and genital area. The lesions notably spared the neck, axillae, back and abdomen. He is currently stable and receiving supportive care, including intravenous fluids and antipyretics.
In line with containment protocols, authorities have arranged to shift the patient to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital (SIDH) for isolation and specialised management, while contact tracing and surveillance are underway to limit further spread.
Officials said the absence of any travel history suggests ongoing community transmission, particularly worrying in the context of the more transmissible and potentially severe clade 1b strain that has already been confirmed through genetic sequencing in samples from Khairpur and other parts of Sindh.
The latest case comes as Sindh continues to grapple with a growing Mpox outbreak that first surfaced earlier this year. According to official data shared with federal authorities, at least 122 suspected cases have been reported in the province so far, of which 25 have been laboratory confirmed, with nine deaths recorded. The majority of confirmed cases have been concentrated in Khairpur, with additional cases reported from Sukkur and Karachi.
Health experts have repeatedly warned that the actual number of infections and fatalities may be higher than officially reported, citing gaps in surveillance and concerns over delayed reporting in the early phase of the outbreak.
The detection of clade 1b, a sub lineage of Clade I first identified in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, has heightened alarm among public health specialists due to its association with increased severity and sustained human to human transmission through close contact.
Federal health officials have already confirmed that similar viral characteristics were identified through sequencing at national and provincial laboratories, indicating that the same virulent strain is driving the current outbreak in Pakistan.
The emergence of locally transmitted cases in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, is particularly concerning for epidemiologists, who fear that urban spread could significantly accelerate transmission if containment measures are not strictly enforced.
Officials at JPMC maintained that the situation remains under control and urged the public not to panic, emphasising that Mpox is a manageable viral illness if detected early. They advised people to avoid close contact with infected individuals, maintain personal hygiene and seek medical attention promptly in case of symptoms such as fever and rash.
Meanwhile, public health teams have intensified surveillance and contact tracing efforts, especially in high risk districts, while isolation facilities have been activated to manage confirmed cases.
The Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital, which houses advanced diagnostic and containment facilities including a biosafety level 3 laboratory, is expected to play a central role in managing severe cases and preventing further spread.
Health authorities say they are closely monitoring the evolving situation, particularly in light of the spread of the more aggressive clade 1b variant, and are coordinating with federal agencies to strengthen response measures across affected regions.
With sporadic cases now appearing beyond initial hotspots, experts warn that Pakistan may be entering a more critical phase of the outbreak, requiring rapid detection, transparent reporting and strict infection control measures to prevent wider community transmission.
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