A 32-year-old man returning to pakistan from a Gulf nation recently tested positive for mpox, marking the country’s eighth confirmed case of the virus this year, officials from the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) Regulations and Coordination announced on Thursday.
The man, who hails from Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, arrived at Islamabad International Airport on December 18, exhibiting lesions and other symptoms consistent with the infectious disease.
He was promptly transferred to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for evaluation. His samples were subsequently collected and sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) for testing.
“Subsequent testing at the NIH confirmed the mpox infection. Genetic sequencing is being performed to ascertain the type of virus,” an NHS official said.
Dr Naseem Akhtar, head of the Infectious Diseases Department at PIMS, confirmed that the patient is in stable condition and receiving appropriate medical care.
The latest mpox case comes despite federal health authorities stressing the need for increased vigilance, particularly at international entry points, to further prevent the spread of the virus.
Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral disease characterised by fever, skin rashes, and swollen lymph nodes.
