The health authorities in northwest Pakistan in Peshawar have confirmed a second case of the MPOX virus this year.
The infection has been detected in a five -month -old girl arriving at Peshawar airport from Qatar, marking the last development of continuous monitoring by Pakistan.
Attaullah Khan, spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the health advisor to chief Minister Ihtesham Ali, confirmed that the infant was tested positive for MPOX after landing with his parents.
The Department of Health has launched tests for the child’s parents’ parents as a precaution.
This new case follows MPOX detection in a 35 -year -old man at Peshawar airport last week. The man was quickly isolated at the police of police services for treatment.
Since the first case reported in August 2024, Pakistan has implemented screening protocols at airports and border entry points.
The country has reported at least eight cases of MPOX in 2024. However, no case of newly transferred strain of MPOX, Clade I, has been detected in Pakistan so far.
MPOX symptoms include pseudo-grated disease and pus-filled lesions. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to complications from the virus.
The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in August 2024 due to the spread of the new strain of the virus, which emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo and caused an increase in global and preventive surveillance efforts .
