Pakistan: Third case of M-Pox detected, another suspect put under surveillance

The third case of M-Pox virus in Pakistan was confirmed at the Peshawar airport, Dawn reported on Saturday citing officials.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Public Health Director Dr Irshad Ali Roghinformed that another suspected patient has also been moved to a hospital.

Earlier this month, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the recent M-Pox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern following the identification of a new variant of the virus, Clade 1b. The Clade 1b variant has triggered global concern due to its ease of spread through routine close contact.

However, the WHO has clarified that the M-Pox outbreak is not another Covid-19, adding that much is already known about the virus and the means to control it.

Pakistan's health ministry had previously stated that the first M-Pox case detected in the country involved the Clade 2 variant. The second case of M-Pox was confirmed last week, with the patient also identified at Peshawar airport, as reported by Dawn.

On Thursday, medical personnel at Bacha Khan International Airport detected two travellers displaying symptoms of the M-Pox virus, previously known as monkey pox. They were transferred to the Police and Services Hospital (PSH) for immediate treatment.

Documents including the 'Suspected Passengers Data Form' for each individual, indicated that both passengers were on the same flight from Jeddah to Peshawar, reported Dawn News.

The confirmed case involved a 51-year-old man from Orakzai, who is currently in stable condition and undergoing treatment at the PSH.

"This is the third confirmed case of M-Pox in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the year 2024," Roghani stated, adding that no locally transmitted cases had been reported thus far. "The Rapid Response Team took the patient's samples and sent them to the laboratory."

Meanwhile, samples from the second patient, a 47-year-old man from Peshawar, were also sent to the laboratory for testing, and results are awaited.

The Health Director informed that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department has established an integrated surveillance and response system for M-Pox.

The WHO raised its highest level of alert over the outbreak in Africa after cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to neighbouring countries. Since January 2023, there have been 27,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths, primarily among children, in the DRC, Dawn reported.

One case each of the Clade 1b variant has been confirmed in Sweden and Thailand, marking the first instances of its spread beyond Africa. However, the WHO has not recommended any travel restrictions to curb the spread of M-Pox.

The disease presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While typically mild, it can be fatal, particularly for children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.