3 Mpox virus cases reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

3 Mpox virus cases reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

3 Mpox virus cases reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Health officials reported three (3) cases of the Mpox (monkeypox) virus in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. They diagnosed all three patients with symptoms of monkeypox virus.

According to the KPK health department, one of the diagnosed victims just recently returned from an Arab nation. These case reports in Pakistan came days after the World Health Organization (WHO) called the Mpox virus a public health disaster on a global scale.

Although there have been cases of Mpox in Pakistan in the past, what specific virus variant the recent victims carried has yet to be confirmed.

Earlier reports show Border Health Services (BHS) and provincial authorities have been on high alert following cases of monkeypox. The monitoring at the airport has also been increased.

The first case of monkeypox came from Peshawar, KPK. The relevant authorities have directed the establishment of isolation wards in specific hospitals and the supply of antiviral drugs.

They also instructed to ensure accessibility of personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical personnel, healthcare institutions, and entry points.

The Health Ministry of Pakistan has also taken more samples from people who had frequent contact with patients after the diagnosis. It has ordered increased monitoring at all entry points to stop more cases from entering Pakistan.

Click here to read the updates on Poliovirus detected in Karachi and Islamabad sewage samples

The Ministry of Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHSRC) reported the first case of the Mpox virus on August 15, 2024.

When a resident of Dir tested positive after returning to Pakistan from a Middle East nation, UAE. The victim is currently living in Mardan. Since then, KPK health authorities have been looking for further contacts whom the victim met.

It is significant to note that Pakistan has become another country to receive the deadly Mpox virus with its 3 reported cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after Sweden.

Mpox virus and its symptoms

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by monkeypox virus. It can cause painful rash, large lymph nodes, and fever. However, it spreads from contact with infected people by touch like kissing or sex.

Mpox is also caused by contact with infectious animals while hunting due to contaminated sheets, clothes, needles, or other activity. Mpox-affected pregnant women may also transfer this virus onto their unborn babies.

Common symptoms of Mpox are fever, rash, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, low energy, back pain, and swollen lymph nodes.

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