11 mpox cases so far reported in Pakistan, says govt

The government warned that mpox is spreading fast across Pakistan, confirming that so far 11 cases have been reported in the country, only one this year, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Giving the break-up of confirmed mpox cases while addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Saturday, PM’s Coordinator on National Health Services Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad said that four cases were detected in Punjab, three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two in Islamabad and once each in Sindh and Balochistan.

Dr Mukhtar, however, made it clear that only one mpox case was detected this year while remaining 10 were reported during the previous year.

He further said that there was no Covid-like emergency regarding the mpox infections.

Most of the positive patients have returned from Gulf countries.

Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said the relevant authorities have been directed to ensure all the precautionary measures on the airports. He said screening process has been activated at the airports.

Dr Mukhtar said this virus transmits through contact and mostly fever and pain-related medicines are used by the patients. He said only in case of deterioration in situation, anti-viral drugs are administered. He said there is no need to be panicjed as the mortality rate is low.

He, however, advised those who travel from abroad to isolate themselves in the first phase if they develop any symptom of rash, flu, fever and body ache.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting in Islamabad regarding risks posed by the mpox surge.

The meeting review preparations for dealing with the infected patients.

Shehbaz Sharif directed the officials concerned to ensure measures in advance for avoiding mpox.

Pakistan had reported its first case on Friday, 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.

The mpox surge in Africa -- which has also affected Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda -- prompted the World Health Organization on Wednesday to declare a public health emergency of international concern, the highest alarm it can sound.

Sweden's Public Health Agency told AFP on Thursday that it had registered a case of the Clade 1b subclade -- the same new strain that has surged in the DRC since September 2023, and the first such infection outside the African continent, according to the agency.

The patient was infected during a visit to "the part of Africa where there is a major outbreak of mpox Clade 1", epidemiologist Magnus Gisslen said in a statement from the agency.

- More infections likely -

Following the discovery of the case in Sweden, the WHO warned further imported cases of the new strain in Europe were likely.

The body's European regional office in Copenhagen said it was discussing with Sweden how best to manage the case.

"The confirmation of mpox Clade 1 in Sweden is a clear reflection of the interconnectedness of our world," it said in a statement, adding it was "imperative that we don't stigmatise travellers or countries/regions".

"Travel restrictions and border closures don't work and should be avoided," it added.

China said Friday it will begin screening people and goods entering the country for mpox over the next six months.

The outbreak has centred on the DR Congo, home to around 100 million people.

Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said in a video message this week that the country had seen nearly 16,000 "potential" mpox cases and 548 deaths this year.

He said the government had put in place a "national strategic plan for vaccination against mpox", and was working to implement other measures to control the outbreak.

Formerly called monkeypox, the virus was discovered in 1958 in Denmark, in monkeys kept for research. It was first discovered in humans in 1970 in what is now the DRC.

Mpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals, but it can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.

The disease causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions.

The US Department of Health said Wednesday it would be donating 50,000 doses of an mpox vaccine to DRC, saying inoculation would "be a critical element of the response to this outbreak".

Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic said it was ready to produce up to 10 million doses of its vaccine targeting mpox by 2025.

There are two subtypes of the virus: the more virulent and deadlier Clade 1, endemic in the Congo Basin in central Africa; and Clade 2, endemic in West Africa.

A worldwide outbreak beginning in 2022 involving the Clade 2b subclade caused some 140 deaths out of around 90,000 cases, mostly affecting gay and bisexual men.