KP reports 10 Mpox cases to date
JAVED KHAN
PESHAWAR
The first Mpox case of the year surfaced at the Peshawar Airport, the advisor to the Chief Minister on health Ihtesham Ali confirmed on Saturday. In an official’s statement, CM aide on health stated that the patient was identified through screening conducted by Border Health Service staff at the Peshawar Airport. The patient, a 35-year-old individual from Dubai, was transferred to Police Services Hospital, Peshawar for further care.
Samples were then sent to the Public Health Reference Lab, where tests confirmed the diagnosis of viral disease Monkeypox, also known as Mpox.
The disease typically starts with a rash that appears one to three days following the onset of fever, starting on the face and then spreading to other parts of body. The rash progresses through several stages like vesicles, macules, papules, pustules, and scabs. Additional symptoms may include exhaustion, swollen lymph nodes, headache and exhaustion. The incubation period generally lasts from seven to 14 days, however, it can vary between five and 21 days. The illness generally lasts between two and four weeks.
In response to the Mpox latest case in the provincial capital, health advisor Ihtsham Ali told reporters that a letter has been sent to the Peshawar Airport manager, requesting a list of passengers who were in close contact with the patient. Once this information is received, District Health Officers (DHOs) will be notified for contact tracing, he added. So far, the province has reported a total of 10 Mpox cases, with two cases in 2023, seven in 2024, and the first case in 2025. Ali urged the public to be cautious and adhere to social distancing measures to prevent further spread.
In an office order issued by the Directorate General of Health Services in August 2024, Police Services Hospital in Peshawar has been officially designated as the isolation facility for suspected Mpox cases in the province. The order, which outlines the measures to manage surveillance and response activities, states: “In order to effectively manage the Surveillance and Response activities, Police Services Hospital, Peshawar is hereby designated as an isolation facility for the suspected Mpox cases.” While the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency in August due to a new mutated strain of Mpox, known as Clade I, Pakistan has not reported any cases of this variant to date.
Clade I, which was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has spread internationally, prompting increased global surveillance and preventative measures to contain its spread. Health authorities are closely monitoring the situation, though Pakistan remains unaffected by this new strain for now.
