The Ministry of Health announced a new case of human monkeypox with a 34-year-old man who recently returned to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia. This development is significant in the country’s continued struggle with the virus.
The patient had a residence in Mardan and arrived in Pakistan on 3 August 2024. He developed symptoms suggesting monkeypox infection on 08 August 2024, upon arrival to Peshawar. Feeling unwell, the patient sought medication from the health facility, where confirmation came upon testing. Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, confirmed this case on 13 August 2024. This has become the first reported case of monkeypox in Pakistan in the current year.
Health officials have already embarked on a process of contact tracing of the patient. This process will enable the health officials to know which people might have come into close contact with the said patient, including those passengers who might have used the same airline from Saudi Arabia, just like him. Ensuring contact tracing will help curb obvious human-to-human transmission and manage probable secondary cases in a timely manner.
The trend could easily resonate with that which kicked off in 2023 after three passengers who had disembarked at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi complained of the virus. Issuing of patient alert whereby all the victims, the citizens of Pakistan aged between 30 and 45 years, were admitted to an infectious facility. It showed that continued vigil and quick medical intervention in time are required.
In fact, WHO states that monkeypox remains a relentless global challenge of confirmed cases of 99,518 and 208 deaths in 122 countries. However, the WHO has always boasted that despite being highly infectious, at a survival rate of 99 percent, it is pretty survivable. The most common way of contracting the virus is through contact. Some typical symptoms include fever, rash, and body aches, which last from between generally 2 to 4 weeks.
In Pakistan, there are 11 cases as of April 2023, with one recorded death. The National Institute of Health has developed an advisory on the management and prevention guidelines for monkeypox. Continuous vigilance must be assured in the advisory given the emphasis, on strong public health surveillance, in order to control the transmission of the virus and ensure that people are protected.
“The case confirmation from Pakistan also further raises alertness to international and national health authorities to remain on alert and proactively prepare in the face of new emerging threats to health … Health officials remain committed to keeping the public updated as the situation develops and promise enforcement of proper interventions for the control and management of monkeypox.”.
ANI
