- Patient brought to Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital in Karachi.
- Pakistan reported first-ever mpox case in April 2023.
- Clade 1b variant confirmed in Sindh and southern Punjab.
KARACHI: Sindh has confirmed another case of mpox in a 19-year-old man, taking the total number of cases reported across the province this year to 41, hospital authorities said on Friday.
The affected young man was brought to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital in Karachi on Thursday after developing rashes on his body, prompting doctors to conduct further medical investigations.
The hospital officials said that the patient’s samples were collected and sent for laboratory testing following his complaint of rashes.
The PCR test subsequently confirmed that the 19-year-old had contracted mpox.
With the latest detection, the number of mpox cases reported in Sindh during the current year has reached 41, the officials added.
Pakistan reported its first-ever confirmed mpox case in April 2023, when health authorities detected the infection in a traveller who arrived from Saudi Arabia.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the spread of mpox a public health emergency of international concern in August 2024, amid a rise in cases in several countries.
According to the WHO, mpox is a viral disease related to the now-eradicated smallpox virus. It can spread through close contact with an infected person, as well as through contaminated materials such as bedding, clothing and needles.
How dangerous is it and who’s at risk?
The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says some outbreaks of clade I mpox have resulted in deaths among up to 10% of people who become infected, although more recent outbreaks have recorded lower fatality rates.
The fatality rate for clade II mpox is below 0.2%, according to the CDC.
People at greater risk of developing severe mpox include infants, pregnant women and those with severely weakened immune systems.
In April, federal and provincial health authorities confirmed the presence of the mpox clade 1b variant in Sindh and southern Punjab. The variant is considered more transmissible and potentially more severe, according to The News.
What are the symptoms of mpox?
The initial symptoms of mpox are typically flu-like and may include fever, chills, exhaustion, headache and muscle weakness.
These symptoms are often followed by a painful or itchy rash, with raised lesions that eventually scab over and usually resolve within several weeks.
