ISLAMABAD: A 28-year-old person from Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who recently returned from Dubai, has been confirmed as the seventh case of Mpox in Pakistan this year, National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad officials said on Saturday.
Health officials revealed that the individual, who developed rashes in the genital area while in Dubai, avoided medical consultation abroad and rushed to Pakistan on Thursday last.
Surprisingly, the patient was not flagged during health screening at Peshawar Airport upon his arrival on November 28. After exiting the airport, he sought medical attention at a local hospital where doctors, suspecting Mpox, sent his samples to the provincial lab as well as NIH.
Tests confirmed the presence of the monkeypox virus. The patient, who is stable, has been educated on isolation and preventive measures to avoid further spread.
This case brings Pakistan’s Mpox tally for 2024 to seven, compared to nine cases recorded last year, one of which resulted in death at PIMS Islamabad due to HIV co-infection. Health experts attribute most Mpox infections in the country to international travelers, primarily from the Gulf region.
The Ministry of National Health Services has issued urgent directives to tighten screening at airports, establish isolation wards, and ensure the availability of antiviral medicines and protective equipment. Public awareness campaigns are being ramped up to encourage early detection and reporting of symptoms such as fever, swollen lymph nodes, and skin rashes.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which declared Mpox a global health emergency in 2023, highlights the importance of vigilance as the virus continues to spread in previously unaffected regions. The recently approved MVA-BN vaccine is seen as a critical tool to prevent outbreaks globally.