ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations, Friday, confirmed tracing second Mpox case in the country at the Peshawar airport.
A man was tested positive for Mpox at the health desk set up for screening incoming passengers at Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar, a spokesperson for Health Ministry said.
According to a spokesperson, the individual showed symptoms of the virus upon arrival and was immediately transferred to a hospital for further testing and treatment.
Subsequent tests confirmed that the patient was positive for Mpox.
Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, Coordinator to PM on Health for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination said that an effective system of screening and surveillance system was functional at all airports.
He added that border health staff was working diligently at airports and entry points.
Dr Bharath said that the government was taking serious measures to keep people safe from epidemics.
With the latest case, the number of people afflicted with the viral disease this year has risen to two. The first case of 2024 was confirmed in KP last week.
In the past two years, Pakistan has reported a total of 12 Mpox cases. This recent increase in cases has led health officials to reinforce monitoring efforts, particularly, at major entry points such as airports. Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a viral zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans. Human-to-human transmission can occur through direct contact with bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials.
Symptoms of the virus include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. Although generally less severe than smallpox, Mpox can cause significant illness, especially in vulnerable populations. Public health officials urged travellers to remain vigilant and report any symptoms to health authorities immediately.
Following the detection of multiple Mpox cases, Pakistan has requested vaccines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and GAVI. The National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad has begun discussions with these international bodies to secure a significant quantity of Mpox vaccines. These vaccines will primarily be designated for healthcare workers and infectious disease specialists who are on the front lines of managing and treating confirmed and suspected Mpox cases.
This initiative comes in response to the two recent Mpox cases involving individuals who returned from the Middle East. As a precaution, Pakistani health authorities have heightened surveillance at airports and other entry points to ensure suspected cases are promptly isolated and tested.
Additionally, isolation wards and filter clinics have been established in major cities such as Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Karachi, and Peshawar to handle any suspected cases.
The WHO last week declared the recent outbreak of the disease as a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant of the virus, Clade 1b, was identified. The Clade 1b variant has triggered global concern due to the ease with which it spreads through routine close contact. However, the Mpox outbreak is not another Covid-19, the WHO has said, because much is already known about the virus and the means to control it.
The WHO last week sounded its highest level of alert over the outbreak in Africa after cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to nearby countries. There have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, mainly among children, in DRC since the current outbreak began in January 2023.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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