Islamabad, 16 August 2024 (TDI): The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s (KP) Ministry of Health confirmed on Friday that it had detected three cases of Mpox virus – also known as monkeypox virus – in the province.
The ministry’s spokesperson said they were carrying out the sequencing of the confirmed cases to identify which variant of Mpox the patient had.
It added that two patients with the virus had returned from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while the other had returned from Saudi Arabia.
Read More: WHO Pandemic Accord: Negotiating Future Beyond COVID-19
According to a health officer from Mardan, the location of the patient from KSA is unknown. The patient was tested in Peshawar, but he returned to his hometown Mardan.
“When we visited his home, it was locked from outside and his neighbours told us that the family has left for Dir,” said the DHO Mardan, Dr Javed Iqbal. He added that the man could not be traced.
Meanwhile, the National Health Ministry has also confirmed that at least one of the patients mentioned above had the Mpox virus while sequencing for the other two was still underway.
Mpox outbreak was first reported in Africa. However, it has now spread across various Asian countries including Pakistan.
Read More: WHO Declares Monkeypox Global Health Emergency
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared the virus a global emergency for the second time in two years.
The virus causes flu-like symptoms, pus-filled lesions and muscular pain. The symptoms are usually mild but can severely affect children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV.
On August 15, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) – established during the PTI government to control the COVID-19 virus – said the country will ensure strict surveillance at its border crossings and airports and also collect samples for testing.
Earlier today, China also announced that it will start screening people and goods entering the country for mpox over the next six months.
