Pakistan confirms second mpox case amid global outbreak

• Passenger showed mpox symptoms upon arrival.
  
• Screening at airport confirmed patient was mpox positive. 
  
• Officials say Pakistan ensuring preventive measures at airports.

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations, and Coordination Friday confirmed the second case of mpox in Pakistan, stating that the virus was detected in an individual who returned to Peshawar from a Gulf country.

The man tested positive for mpox at the health desk set up for screening incoming passengers at Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar.

According to a spokesperson for the health ministry, the individual showed symptoms of the virus upon arrival and was immediately transferred to a hospital for further testing and treatment. 

Subsequent tests confirmed that the patient was positive for mpox.

Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Coordinator to PM on Health for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination said that an effective system of screening and surveillance system was functional at all airports. 

He added that border health staff were working diligently at airports and entry points. Dr Bharath said that the government was taking serious measures to keep people safe from epidemics.

Sharing details of the new patient, Dr Irshad Rugani, the Director of Public Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that the 47-year-old patient was a resident of Nowshera.

He revealed that the patient diagnosed with the virus returned from a Gulf country last morning.

"The individual was declared a 'suspected patient' by the medical team, deployed at the Peshawar airport," he added.

Dr Rugani further stated that the patient underwent mpox screening tests at Khyber Medical University Lab — which returned positive.

With the latest case, the number of people afflicted with the viral disease this year has risen to two. The first case of 2024 was confirmed in KP last week.

In the past two years, Pakistan has reported a total of 12 mpox cases. This recent increase in cases has led health officials to reinforce monitoring efforts, particularly at major entry points like airports.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials.

Symptoms of the virus include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. Although generally less severe than smallpox, mpox can cause significant illness, especially in vulnerable populations.

Public health officials urged travellers to remain vigilant and report any symptoms to health authorities immediately.

Following the detection of multiple mpox cases, Pakistan has requested vaccines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and GAVI. The National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad has begun discussions with these international bodies to secure a significant quantity of mpox vaccines.

These vaccines will primarily be designated for healthcare workers and infectious disease specialists who are on the front lines of managing and treating confirmed and suspected mpox cases.

This initiative comes in response to the two recent mpox cases involving individuals who returned from the Middle East. As a precaution, Pakistani health authorities have heightened surveillance at airports and other entry points to ensure suspected cases are promptly isolated and tested.

Additionally, isolation wards and filter clinics have been established in major cities like Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar to handle any suspected cases.