Karachi: Seven newborn children have died in Khairpur, with laboratory tests confirming Mpox infection in at least four of them, as health authorities acknowledge an outbreak among infants while linking the deaths to underlying medical complications rather than the virus itself.
According to a spokesperson for the Sindh Health Department, laboratory investigations carried out by Dow University of Health Sciences and Aga Khan University confirmed Mpox infection in several newborns, with a total of seven infants testing positive for the virus in the district.
The spokesperson said that among the seven children who died, four had tested positive for Mpox, but a medical review concluded that the deaths were not directly caused by the virus. All the deceased infants were described as critically vulnerable at birth, suffering from complications such as low birth weight, prematurity and severe malnutrition.
The outbreak first came to light on March 14, when unusual skin lesions were reported among newborns in Khairpur. Subsequent laboratory testing by DUHS and AKU confirmed the presence of Mpox in affected children, prompting an urgent investigation by provincial health authorities.
Earlier, officials had confirmed Mpox infection in at least three out of eight tested samples, but the latest findings indicate a wider spread of the virus among neonates in the district.
Investigations by health authorities and the Sindh Healthcare Commission have pointed to serious lapses in infection prevention and control at healthcare facilities as a likely source of transmission.
Officials said a private pediatric facility, Shahani Medical Center, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Khairpur Medical College are suspected to be key sites where the infection spread among children.
“An infected child was reportedly placed in an incubator, which was later used for other newborns without proper sterilisation, leading to transmission of the virus,” an official involved in the inquiry said, adding that movement of infected children between facilities may have further accelerated the spread.
Following these findings, authorities temporarily closed the neonatal intensive care units at both facilities and carried out disinfection procedures. Infection prevention and control protocols have now been enforced across hospitals in Khairpur and Sukkur, with teams conducting inspections and sterilisation of medical equipment.
On the directives of Sindh Health Minister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, expert teams have identified the likely index case and possible transmission pathways, while contact tracing and surveillance have been intensified across affected areas.
Health officials said all contacts of confirmed and suspected cases are being monitored, with samples being collected where necessary, as the virus has an incubation period of up to 21 days and may spread silently.
Provincial authorities maintain that the situation is now under control, with specialist doctors in major hospitals of Sukkur and Khairpur closely monitoring developments and managing affected patients.
However, concerns persist among federal health authorities, including officials at the National Institute of Health in Islamabad, over gaps in reporting and coordination, which they warn could undermine a unified national response to the outbreak.
Public health experts say the emergence of Mpox among newborns, coupled with evidence of healthcare associated transmission, highlights deep systemic weaknesses in infection control practices, which have previously contributed to outbreaks such as HIV among children in Sindh.
They stress that strict adherence to infection prevention protocols, transparent reporting and coordinated action between provincial and federal health authorities are critical to preventing further spread of the virus in vulnerable populations.
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