Health authorities have initiated contact tracing measures to monitor those who had close interactions with the patient, including fellow passengers on his flight.
Pakistan has recorded its first case of monkeypox in 2024, with a 34-year-old man from Mardan testing positive for the virus after returning from Saudi Arabia. The individual arrived in Pakistan on August 3 and exhibited symptoms upon reaching Peshawar, prompting him to seek medical attention. The diagnosis was confirmed by Khyber Medical University in Peshawar on August 13, according to the Ministry of Health. Health authorities have initiated contact tracing measures to monitor those who had close interactions with the patient, including fellow passengers on his flight.
This incident follows a similar occurrence in 2023 when three individuals were diagnosed with monkeypox at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. The Director General Health disclosed that the affected passengers, all Pakistani citizens aged between 30 and 45, have been hospitalized at an infectious disease facility. The recent case underscores the importance of vigilant surveillance and prompt response to emerging infectious diseases.