ISLAMABAD: A 41-year-old woman admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) has tested positive for mpox, with Geo News reporting the confirmation on Monday.
The woman was brought to PIMS last week after developing lesions on her face and is currently being treated in the hospital’s infection control ward, according to health sources cited in media reports.
Geo News reported that laboratory testing at the National Institute of Health (NIH) confirmed the presence of the mpox virus.
The patient is a resident of Shakrial in Islamabad. Officials have yet to release details about her travel history or whether any close contacts have been identified.
Pakistan reported its first confirmed mpox case in April 2023, when a traveller returning from Saudi Arabia tested positive.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mpox is a viral illness that spreads mainly through close physical contact with an infected person, particularly contact with skin lesions, body fluids or respiratory secretions.
It can also spread through contaminated materials such as clothing or bedding. WHO says people with mpox commonly develop a rash or skin lesions, along with symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes.
Common symptoms include a skin rash or lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. The illness usually resolves within two to four weeks, although people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe disease and complications.
Health authorities are expected to monitor the patient’s contacts and investigate the possible source of infection. Further details are expected once contact tracing and other assessments are completed.
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