ISLAMABAD: The Sindh Health Department (SHD) said on Tuesday that the province has reported nine Mpox deaths and 25 confirmed cases this year so far, urging the masses to take precautionary measures to stem the spread of the disease.
Mpox is a viral zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from animals to humans and can also spread between people through close contact, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials. While historically localized to parts of Africa, a global outbreak in 2022 led to a surge in cases worldwide.
In Pakistan, the health ministry identified nine cases in 2023, resulting in one death. By 2024, the situation intensified globally with the emergence of the deadlier Clade 1b variant, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a Public
Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The SHD said in a press release that 122 suspected Mpox cases have been reported across the province as of Apr. 14.
“Out of these, 25 cases have been confirmed through laboratory testing while 9 deaths have been reported,” the press release said.
“In the past 24 hours, two new cases were reported--one from Karachi and one from Khairpur,” it added.
The health department said the highest number of cases have been reported from Sindh’s Khairpur district, adding that 18 cases of the disease have been confirmed from there.
Three cases have been reported from Sukkur while the remaining four have been reported from Karachi.
The SHD said it has taken “immediate measures” as Mpox cases emerge, which include establishing isolation wards in all of the district and major hospitals. The health department said it has also set up a coordinated system to transport samples timely and activated Disease Surveillance and Response Units across Sindh.
“Further steps include contact tracing of health care workers and close contacts of infected individuals, strict enforcement of infection control measures, complete sterilization of medical equipment, and active case finding in affected areas,” the press release said.
The SHD appealed to the public and health care workers to follow precautionary measures, seek immediate medical attention from hospitals if they feel any Mpox symptoms, and exercise special care in handling newborns.
The outbreak has heightened concerns in Pakistan as the WHO continues to monitor deadlier variants of the virus globally. While the provincial government initially characterized the cluster as a bacterial infection, the confirmation of Mpox has shifted the response to an emergency footing.
