Fourth suspected mpox case reported at Pakistan's Karachi airport

A new suspected case of Mpox was reported at Jinnah International Airport on Thursday morning when a passenger was admitted to a hospital for further evaluation.

Sources indicate that the patient, a 26-year-old man from Abbottabad who arrived from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was flagged for suspected mpox during a health screening upon his arrival at the airport, Dawn reported.

This incident marks the fourth suspected case of the viral infection within three weeks at Karachi airport. A doctor from the Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital and Research Centre reported, "He has presented with rashes and some lesions on his skin. He is stable," confirming that the patient is currently being monitored under medical supervision.

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On September 15, authorities at Jinnah International Airport reported another suspected case of mpox. A traveller arriving on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Jeddah exhibited symptoms indicative of the infection.

He was promptly taken to a government-run isolation ward in Sindh for additional assessment and treatment, reported Dawn.

Adding to the concern, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa confirmed a fifth case of monkeypox earlier this week. A 33-year-old resident of Peshawar, who returned from Saudi Arabia on September 7, was diagnosed with the virus at Khyber Teaching Hospital.

The patient is currently isolated at his home in Lower Dir, monitored by health officials.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued an urgent alert regarding an unprecedented outbreak of mpox affecting multiple countries. With the number of cases steadily rising, recent reports indicate at least nine confirmed cases across Pakistan, highlighting the urgent need for public health measures to combat the spread of the mpox virus, Dawn reported.

Health authorities are stressing the importance of vigilant health screenings at airports and public awareness campaigns to inform citizens about the symptoms and prevention of the disease.

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