PESHAWAR: After a fresh case of monkeypox was reported from Peshawar city in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the total number of people suffering from this disease has increased to four across the country.
The official news agency of Pakistan quoted the spokesperson of the National Ministry of Health as saying that a 47-year-old Pakistani citizen was isolated on August 29, 2024, by Border Health Services staff based on symptoms. The individual had returned home from a trip to Gulf countries.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of National Health on Sunday, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, Coordinator for Health for Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, emphasized the effective screening system at all airports.
“Pakistan has taken effective measures to prevent monkeypox; the federation and the provinces are coordinating together to ensure all necessary measures are implemented promptly.”
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath stated that the Ministry of Health is monitoring the situation closely. Both the National Ministry of Health and provincial governments are actively involved in implementing preventive measures.
Earlier, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Health Coordinator for Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reported on Saturday that a recent case of monkeypox had been identified in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
When did monkeypox first appear in Pakistan?
According to Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Bharath, Coordinator for Health for Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, “The first case of monkeypox was reported in Pakistan on April 11, 2023.”
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath clarified regarding a monkeypox-related death, stating that the patient did not succumb to monkeypox but had a weakened immune system due to AIDS, rendering them unable to recover.
The second case of monkeypox in Pakistan was reported on August 23 at Peshawar Airport, with a third case reported on August 31 in an individual arriving from abroad.
On August 15, the World Health Organization declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern due to the identification of a new strain of the virus, clade 1b, due to concerns about its potential spread.
The ease of transmission of the clade 1b variant has raised global concerns, as it can spread easily even through routine close contact.
Following the spread of cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo to neighboring countries, the World Health Organization issued an emergency alert regarding the epidemic.
