New Cases of Mpox reported in Pakistan; wouldn’t take much of a time to plague neighboring Countries!

A 47-year-old resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), who recently returned to Pakistan from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has been admitted to Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) with symptoms of mpox

A 47-year-old resident of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), who recently returned to Pakistan from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has been admitted to Islamabad’s Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) with symptoms of mpox. This case marks the fourth reported instance of mpox in Pakistan, with the previous three cases originating from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The patient, showing symptoms consistent with mpox, has been placed in a special ward designated for such cases, according to Dr. Nasim Akhtar, the hospital’s focal person. In response to the outbreak, Pakistan has implemented stringent measures to prevent the spread of the virus, including a strict screening system at airports, mainly targeting travelers returning from abroad. The government announced that it has formulated a comprehensive policy to combat the mpox virus, ensuring that diagnostic laboratories are available in all provinces and the federal capital.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken a proactive stance on the issue, chairing a meeting to discuss the outbreak and ordering strict vigilance across the country. He emphasized the importance of effective screening at all entry points, including airports, seaports, and borders, and directed the Border Health Services to maintain complete surveillance of the situation. Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, spreads through close contact and has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO). The current outbreak has been particularly severe, with over 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths reported, mainly among children, in Congo since January last year. The Pakistani government continues to monitor the situation closely, urging the public not to panic as preventive measures are being enforced.