ISLAMABAD: Health authorities confirmed the first locally transmitted case of monkeypox in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday. According to Provincial Health Advisor Ehtesham Khan, the infected patient is a woman whose husband recently returned from a Gulf country.
The patient was admitted to a hospital on February 18 after experiencing fever and body aches. Rashes later appeared on her body and mouth. Laboratory tests at Khyber Medical University confirmed the disease on February 21.
Health officials have conducted screenings of the patient’s family and close contacts. All close relatives, including the patient’s husband, have been advised to self-isolate.
Authorities are urging the public to stay alert for symptoms of the disease and seek immediate medical assistance if necessary.
Monkeypox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact with an infected person, causing fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic rash. While earlier cases were detected among travelers, this is the first instance of local transmission in the province.
