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Following the first confirmed case of monkeypox (Mpox) in Karachi, health authorities have intensified passenger screening at airports and entry points across the country.
The Sindh Health Department has directed Border Health Services Pakistan to expedite screening procedures, ensuring that incoming and outgoing passengers are closely monitored.
Hospitals have also been instructed to prepare isolation wards for potential Mpox patients.
The 29-year-old patient from Malir, confirmed as Sindh’s first local transmission, had no recent travel history. However, officials revealed that his wife had recently returned from Saudi Arabia, where she worked as a beautician.
Upon developing symptoms, the patient sought medical attention, and tests at Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) confirmed the infection. He is currently isolated at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC).
Authorities are now tracing the patient’s wife and children for testing and isolation, aiming to contain further transmission.
READ: First M-Pox Case Reported in Karachi
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a viral disease that spreads from animals to humans and has symptoms similar to smallpox, though it is clinically less severe.
The virus is primarily found in Central and West Africa, but cases have been reported in Europe, the UK, the USA, Canada, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, and Italy in recent years.
How Does Monkeypox Spread?
The virus is mainly transmitted through:
- Animal-to-human contact: Direct contact with infected animals such as squirrels, rats, and monkeys.
- Human-to-human transmission: Close face-to-face contact, direct physical contact, or exposure to contaminated clothing or bedding.
- Consumption of infected animals: Eating undercooked meat or handling infected animal products increases the risk.
READ More about Monkey Pox, its prevention, symptoms and more.
