PESHAWAR, September 11, 2024 (TDI): Pakistani health authorities confirmed another mpox case in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday, bringing the total number of cases to five.
According to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department, the latest patient is a 33-year-old resident of Lower Dir with a travel history from a Gulf country.
He had been isolated at home after showing symptoms and testing positive for the disease.
The patient returned to Pakistan on September 7 via Islamabad International Airport, traveled to Peshawar, and was later referred to Khyber Teaching Hospital from a private clinic.
Samples collected at the hospital were sent to the Public Health Reference Lab, which confirmed the presence of the mpox virus today, the health department said in a statement.
The patient is currently quarantined at home in Lower Dir under the surveillance of the District Health Officer (DHO). His condition is improving, and his family has been educated on how to prevent the spread of the infection.
Read More: Pakistan Confirms 3rd Case of MPox
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah expressed concern about the screening process at Islamabad Airport, where the patient was not initially detected with mpox.
In a video message, the Health Minister noted that over 66,000 people have been screened at various entry points in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Of 17 suspected cases of mpox, five have been confirmed, including the latest case reported today.
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It is noteworthy that the four previous mpox cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have recovered and cleared the infection after receiving treatment.
Mpox, which causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, was declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) on August 14.
The disease, first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has spread to several neighboring regions.
The WHO has declared a global health emergency in response to a new mutated strain of mpox, known as clade I, which has prompted enhanced global monitoring and preventive measures.
Since the first mpox case was reported in Pakistan last month, the country has enforced stringent screening protocols at airports and border entry points to combat the spread of the virus.
