Third monkeypox case confirmed in KP

ISLAMABAD/PESHAWAR: Pakistan’s monkeypox tally has reached four, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) reporting its third case, according to official sources.

The KP Director Public Health confirmed the development, stating that the Public Health Laboratory has verified the diagnosis in the patient, a resident of Orakzai.

The individual has been transferred to Peshawar’s Services Hospital for treatment after exhibiting symptoms at the airport.

Director Public Health, Dr Irshad Roghani in a message informed, “A 51-year-old traveler belonging to Orakzai district of KP was detected with mpox symptoms at Bacha Khan airport while coming back from abroad”.

Dr Irshad informed that the suspected patient was held at the airport during the screening of incoming passengers by medical teams and forthwith shifted to Police Line hospital at Peshawar for diagnosis testing.

The first case of mpox in KP during the current year was reported on August 15, 2024, soon after the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) on August 14 in the wake of the growing outbreak in Africa and emergency of a new variant of virus in some countries.

All the infected patients in KP are travelers who arrived in their homeland from abroad during the last couple of weeks.

In response to the growing number of cases, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has directed all international airlines operating in Pakistan to adopt preventive measures against monkeypox at airports.

The PCAA has been tasked with ensuring compliance with standard operating procedures (SOPs) through regular inspections and audits.