M-Pox outbreak: Pakistan confirms first M-Pox case as Saudi Arabia returnee tests positive
PTC News Desk: A guy who recently returned from Saudi Arabia tested positive for the virus, marking Pakistan's first incidence of monkeypox this year, according to ARY News, which cited the Ministry of Health.
The 34-year-old Mardan resident landed in Pakistan on August 3; he contacted the hospital for testing soon after landing in Peshawar after experiencing symptoms. According to ARY News, Khyber Medical University in Peshawar confirmed the diagnosis.
On August 13, his positive diagnosis was verified, making this the first case of monkeypox in Pakistan to be reported for 2024. To find and keep an eye on anyone who had frequent touch with the patient, including other travelers on his aircraft from Saudi Arabia, health officials have started contact tracing.
At Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport, three travelers were diagnosed with monkeypox earlier in 2023. The three passengers, who ranged in age from 30 to 45, were all citizens of Pakistan, the Director General of Health informed the media. The infectious disease hospital has admitted the passengers.
With 208 deaths and 99,518 cases reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 122 countries, monkeypox is still a major worldwide health concern.
The virus, which is carried by intimate contact, causes fever, rash, and body aches, and its symptoms usually linger for two to four weeks, according to ARY News. The WHO reports that 99 percent of individuals affected survive despite the virus spreading.
Since April 2023, 11 cases—one of which resulted in death—have been documented in Pakistan. In an advisory highlighting best practices for controlling and stopping the spread of monkeypox, the National Institutes of Health has called for ongoing caution and public health surveillance.
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- With inputs from agencies
