A 44-year-old man from the Gujarat district in Punjab has tested positive for the monkeypox virus, also known as mpox, upon arriving in Pakistan from a Gulf state. This case marks the seventh mpox infection in the country this year and the sixth since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an emergency last month.
The patient, who landed at Islamabad Airport on September 14, was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) after being suspected of carrying the virus. Health officials confirmed that samples sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) tested positive for mpox. The patient is reported to be in stable condition.
“This is the seventh confirmed case of mpox in Pakistan this year,” a health official from the federal health ministry stated. The official added that five previous cases were confirmed at the Khyber Medical University laboratory in Peshawar, while the latest patient is being treated in Islamabad.
Mpox is a virus that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While usually mild, it can be fatal, especially for children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems. The WHO recently approved MVA-BN as the first pre-qualified vaccine against the monkeypox virus, marking a significant step in combating the disease.
Earlier on Wednesday, another mpox case was reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), bringing the total tally to six. Provincial Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah confirmed this, noting that the spike in cases has raised concerns among health experts and the public.
Additionally, on Sunday, three passengers traveling to Karachi were suspected of having mpox at Jinnah International Airport. All three passengers had returned from Middle Eastern countries.
Following global health concerns, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the approval of the MVA-BN vaccine, emphasizing its importance in the fight against the disease. The approval comes after the WHO declared the mpox outbreak an “international health emergency” in July.
The rise in mpox cases in Peshawar has prompted calls for increased awareness and stricter travel guidelines. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, particularly in light of the WHO’s recent emergency declaration.
The Border Health Services (BHS) has been commended for detecting an mpox case outside of Peshawar, highlighting the importance of vigilance and prompt action in managing the spread of the virus.
