The Ministry of Health has confirmed a second case of monkeypox (mpox) in Pakistan, detected at Peshawar Airport. The patient, who had recently arrived from a Gulf country, was identified during routine screening at the airport health desk after displaying symptoms of the virus. The patient tested positive upon arrival and was promptly transferred to a hospital for further treatment.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator for Health, assured that the Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation. “Effective screening and surveillance systems are in place at all airports,” he stated. He also emphasized that border health staff are working diligently at all entry points to prevent the spread of the virus. “We are committed to ensuring serious measures to protect the public from outbreaks,” Dr. Mukhtar added.
Last week, health officials confirmed that the first reported case of mpox in Pakistan was not linked to the new strain currently spreading through Africa. The patient, a 34-year-old man who had also returned from a Gulf country, was diagnosed with the virus, identified as Clade 2b, after extensive testing. This strain differs from Clade 1b, which has been associated with the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The World Health Organization recently declared the rapid spread of the Clade 1b strain in Africa a public health emergency of international concern. Sweden’s Public Health Agency reported the first case of Clade 1b outside Africa last Thursday. The DRC remains the epicenter of the epidemic, with approximately 16,000 cases recorded and 548 deaths so far.
The Ministry of Health in Pakistan continues to urge the public to remain vigilant and follow recommended health guidelines to prevent further spread of the virus.
