Authorities have stepped up efforts to stem the spread of the monkeypox virus, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Friday.

Screening arrangements have been completed at airports across the country. The Karachi Airport Manager, Sindh Health DG and Airport Health Services director visited the Jinnah International Airport and reviewed measures to cope with the challenge.

Karachi Airport Manager Irfan Khan said passengers arriving from abroad will be screened and spraying is being done at all places including counters at Karachi Airport under the NCOC guidelines.

He added that a border health services isolation room has been set up where the history and symptoms of suspected travellers are evaluated.

Pakistan confirmed three cases of mpox, a day after Sweden recorded the first infection outside of Africa involving a new, more dangerous strain of the virus that has killed hundreds in the DR Congo.

Three confirmed cases of monkeypox disease have been reported yet in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and all the patients have returned from Gulf countries, said KP Public Health Dr Director Irshad Ahmad Roghani.

Dr Irshad said the Health Department is establishing isolation wards for Mpox patients while Covid teams have been made functional at their stations of duty. “Contact tracing of suspected patients is also in progress to detect further spread of the disease,” he added.

World Health Organization (WHO) has already declared a public health emergency of international concern, to prevent the spread of a new variant of the Mpox viral virus.