Three suspected mpox cases in Karachi test negative; patients sent home

• Suspected patients admitted to Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital.
• One patient was sent home after remaining asymptomatic.
• Pakistan's total mpox cases hit six, with most reported in KP.
  

The Sindh health department on Sunday reported that three suspected cases of mpox in Karachi were sent home after one showed no signs of the disease and tests for the other two returned negative.

These individuals were suspected of contracting mpox after returning to Pakistan from Middle Eastern countries at the Jinnah International Airport, Geo News reported citing relevant sources.

The individual who showed no symptoms of the disease was allowed to go home yesterday, the health department said. The other two suspected cases were also discharged after testing negative for mpox. 

The two had arrived in Karachi from Jeddah on Saturday, according to the health department.

All three individuals were immediately taken to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre, as confirmed by hospital officials.

Currently, there are six confirmed mpox cases in Pakistan, with the majority reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mpox is a virus that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions and, while usually mild, it can kill. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are all at higher risk of complications, reported Reuters.

The infectious disease has African countries in turmoil including DR Congo where there have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, the majority of the deaths occurred among children.

The outbreak began in January 2023 in the Congo and in August this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent outbreak of the disease a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant was identified.