ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported its first case of monkeypox for the year 2024 on Thursday, just a day after global health authorities issued a warning to curb the spread of diseases among international travelers. The confirmed case involves a young man from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), who recently returned from abroad.
According to officials from Pakistan’s federal health ministry, the patient, a resident of Dir currently living in Mardan, was diagnosed with monkeypox upon his return from abroad on August 3. The case was identified following Wednesday’s alert by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has declared the outbreak of monkeypox a global public health emergency.
Health officials have taken immediate measures to prevent further spread. They have collected samples from persons who had close contact with the infected man. Additionally, the Border Health Services have been instructed to enhance monitoring at all entry points into the country to detect and contain any potential new cases.
An emergency session was convened at the Health Ministry, chaired by the Director General of Health, to issue guidelines and advisory on managing monkeypox. The ministry has directed provincial health departments to appoint focal persons responsible for monitoring and reporting on developments related to the disease.
This case is notable as it marks the first monkeypox infection reported in Pakistan for 2024. Last year, the country confirmed nine cases, all linked to travelers returning from abroad. One of these patients, who was also infected with HIV, unfortunately died in Islamabad.
During a special session of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on monkeypox, officials highlighted that around 15 African countries are currently experiencing monkeypox outbreaks, with a total of 2,030 confirmed cases. Four new countries—Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda—have reported cases since mid-July 2024.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) reported that the WHO has documented 99,176 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox worldwide from January 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024. This total includes 208 deaths across 162 countries.
The month of June 2024 alone saw 934 new cases, with the majority originating from the African Region (61%), followed by the Americas (19%) and Europe (11%).
The WHO has noted a decline in reporting, which means recent trends in Mpox cases should be interpreted with caution. WHO continues to encourage all countries to ensure that Mpox is a notifiable disease and to report cases, including when no cases have been detected (known as zero-reporting).
