Fourth suspected Mpox case identified at Karachi Airport

A new suspected case A of Mpox has emerged at Jinnah International Airport, raising alarms as health officials remain vigilant about the ongoing viral outbreak.

On Thursday morning, a 26-year-old man from Abbottabad, who had just arrived from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was admitted to a local hospital for further evaluation after being flagged during a health screening. Sources indicate that the passenger exhibited symptoms consistent with Mpox, leading to his immediate assessment.

This incident marks the fourth suspected case of the viral infection reported at Karachi airport within a span of just three weeks. A doctor from the Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital and Research Centre confirmed that the patient presented with rashes and lesions on his skin but is currently stable and being closely monitored under medical supervision.

Earlier this month, on September 15, authorities at Jinnah International Airport reported another suspected case of monkeypox. In that instance, a traveller arriving on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Jeddah displayed symptoms indicative of the infection. Similar to the current case, he was swiftly taken to a government-run isolation ward in Sindh for further assessment and treatment.

Adding to the escalating concerns, 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.

This patient is currently isolated at his home in Lower Dir, where health officials are monitoring his condition to prevent any potential spread of the disease.