Pakistan reported its third confirmed case of the mpox virus on Saturday at Peshawar airport, according to Dr. Irshad Ali Roghani, Public Health Director of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A suspected case has also been identified and the individual is currently undergoing evaluation at a hospital.
Additionally, the Sindh Health Department has reported a suspected case at Karachi airport, raising concerns about the virus’s spread.
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the recent mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern after detecting the new Clade 1b variant. This variant has drawn attention due to its potential for rapid transmission through close contact. However, the WHO has reassured the public that the mpox outbreak is significantly different from Covid-19, emphasizing that there is already substantial knowledge about the virus and effective control measures are in place.
Pakistan’s first confirmed mpox case was linked to the Clade 2 variant, with the second case reported last week, also at Peshawar airport. Medical staff at Bacha Khan International Airport identified two travelers showing symptoms of the virus on Thursday, both of whom had traveled on the same flight from Jeddah to Peshawar.
The third confirmed case involves a 51-year-old man from Orakzai, who is currently stable and receiving treatment at Peshawar’s PSH hospital. This marks the third confirmed mpox case in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2024, with no local transmissions reported so far. The Rapid Response Team collected samples from the patient, which were tested at the Public Health Reference Laboratory and confirmed the presence of the mpox virus.
Samples from a second patient, a 47-year-old man from Peshawar, have also been sent for testing, with results pending.
