Pakistan reported its first case of mpox in 2025, identified during screening by border health service personnel at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan International Airport.
According to the Health Ministry spokesperson, the suspected case tested positive, bringing the total number of Mpox cases to 10 since the health emergency was declared, Express News reported.
The patient reportedly had a travel history related to Gulf countries.
Health Coordinator Dr Mukhtar Bharth said, “We are ensuring that effective measures are taken to protect the public from Mpox. All airports have robust screening systems and compliance with the International Health Regulations is ensured. The federal and provincial governments are committed to fighting Mpox. “.
Meanwhile, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Advisor Ehtesham Ali confirmed that the first Mpox case of 2025 was reported at the Peshawar airport.
Upon detection, the public health team immediately went to the airport.
He added: “The public health team shifted the patient to the Police Service Hospital, from where the patient’s samples were sent to the public health reference laboratory. Mpox was confirmed in a 35-year-old person who arrived from Dubai.
The provincial health advisor also mentioned that a letter was sent to the Peshawar airport director seeking details of passengers near the patient.
“Once the passenger information is received, the respective District Health Officers (DHOs) will be informed about contact tracing,” he added.
The statement revealed that a total of 10 cases of Mpox have been reported so far in the province, including two in 2023, seven in 2024 and the first case in 2025.
Authorities urged the public to practice social distancing and remain vigilant.
Last year, the Health Ministry confirmed the eighth case of the mpox virus in the country this year, involving a 32-year-old patient who had recently returned from the Gulf.
The patient has been isolated and is receiving treatment, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Sajid Shah. “He is experiencing mild symptoms and is expected to recover soon,”
Pakistan reported its first case of mpox in August and has since implemented rigorous testing protocols at airports and border crossings to curb the spread of the virus.
While a mutated strain of mpox, clade I, prompted the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency in August, Pakistan has yet to report any cases of this new variant.
Clade I first appeared in the Democratic Republic of Congo and has since spread internationally, leading to increased surveillance and preventive measures.
