Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Minister Syed Qasim Ali Shah reported another mpox case in the province, raising Pakistan’s total to six. This latest case marks the fifth since the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the outbreak as a global health emergency following the identification of a new virus variant in August.
The patient, from Lower Dir, KP, was diagnosed after screening at Peshawar Airport. The National Institute of Health Islamabad isolated him and confirmed that he carried the pox virus.
“A public health lab confirmed mpox in the patient’s blood samples,” the KP health minister noted.
Mpox, known to cause flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions, poses higher risks of severe complications for children, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems.
Peshawar recently reported its fourth case, increasing concerns that it could become a focal point for the virus. Border Health Services isolated the 47-year-old patient on August 29 after returning from the Gulf.
Read: Fourth Mpox Case in Peshawar Sparks Concerns of Virus Hotspot
Authorities have intensified screening and prevention efforts at airports to curb the virus’s spread. The rise in cases has sparked calls for heightened public awareness and stricter travel regulations.
