The Pakistani Ministry of Health reported on Monday the detection of a single case of the mpox virus, specifically of the clade 2 variety, while noting that no instances of the clade 1b strain have been identified. Clade 1b has raised international alarm due to its apparent higher transmissibility through regular close contact. Last week, a case of this variant was confirmed in Sweden, connected to an expanding outbreak in Africa, marking its first spread beyond the continent.
Sajid Hussain Shah, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Health Services, confirmed that as of now, there have been no reported cases of clade 1 in Pakistan. Following the identification of this new variant, the World Health Organization has declared the recent outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The WHO escalated its alert to the highest level last week concerning the outbreak in Africa, after cases from the Democratic Republic of Congo extended to neighboring countries. Since the outbreak began in January 2023, there have been 27,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths, predominantly among children, in the DR Congo.
Global health authorities confirmed an infection with the new mpox strain in Sweden last week, linking it to a growing outbreak in Africa, which is the first indication of its spread outside the continent. The WHO has not recommended any travel restrictions to control the spread of mpox. The disease typically manifests with flu-like symptoms and lesions filled with pus. Although usually mild, it can be fatal, and children, pregnant women, and individuals with compromised immune systems are at increased risk of severe complications.
