٠٠:٠١:١٦Mandatory credit: Ministry of Health KPK Peshawar
The Pakistani Health Ministry confirmed on Friday that it had identified the first case of mpox (monkeypox) in the country, a day after Sweden reported a new strain of the disease, following the outbreaks in Africa.
"The first case of mpox has been reported in KPK [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa], we have confirmed this case through PCR [polymerase chain reaction] and have sent the case for genetic sequencing to NIH [National Institute of Health] in Islamabad," said Irshad Roghani, the director of public health for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He went on saying that the measures to 'prevent, control, manage and facilitate' the fight agains the disease spreading were being taken in the country.
The variant of virus the patient contracted is still being identified.
"We have sent alerts to our health services teams located at border [with Afghanistan] to check all passengers with symptoms and to immediately screen them at spot. Later we will isolate and further manage these people with suspected cases," added Roghani.
"I can assure you that the government of KPK is taking all necessary measures" to prevent the spread of the disease, concluded the representative of the Health Ministry.
On Wednesday, World Health Organisation chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for Ebola outbreaks, Covid-19 and a 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the disease has been detected in 13 countries, with 96 percent of cases and deaths registered in DRC. This year the organisation has documented over 14,000 cases and 524 fatalities in the DRC alone while 38,465 cases were registered across Africa since January 2022.
On Thursday, Sweden announced the first case of the more dangerous modification Clade 1 type in country's capital. According to the Sweden's Public Health Agency, this marks the first confirmed virus case outside Africa.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 per cent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases.
Mpox is a viral infection that is transmissible both among humans and from animals to humans. The virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles, according to the WHO.
'We're taking all measures to prevent and control' mpox - Pakistani HealthMin as country confirms first case
The Pakistani Health Ministry confirmed on Friday that it had identified the first case of mpox (monkeypox) in the country, a day after Sweden reported a new strain of the disease, following the outbreaks in Africa.
"The first case of mpox has been reported in KPK [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa], we have confirmed this case through PCR [polymerase chain reaction] and have sent the case for genetic sequencing to NIH [National Institute of Health] in Islamabad," said Irshad Roghani, the director of public health for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He went on saying that the measures to 'prevent, control, manage and facilitate' the fight agains the disease spreading were being taken in the country.
The variant of virus the patient contracted is still being identified.
"We have sent alerts to our health services teams located at border [with Afghanistan] to check all passengers with symptoms and to immediately screen them at spot. Later we will isolate and further manage these people with suspected cases," added Roghani.
"I can assure you that the government of KPK is taking all necessary measures" to prevent the spread of the disease, concluded the representative of the Health Ministry.
On Wednesday, World Health Organisation chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for Ebola outbreaks, Covid-19 and a 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the disease has been detected in 13 countries, with 96 percent of cases and deaths registered in DRC. This year the organisation has documented over 14,000 cases and 524 fatalities in the DRC alone while 38,465 cases were registered across Africa since January 2022.
On Thursday, Sweden announced the first case of the more dangerous modification Clade 1 type in country's capital. According to the Sweden's Public Health Agency, this marks the first confirmed virus case outside Africa.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 per cent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases.
Mpox is a viral infection that is transmissible both among humans and from animals to humans. The virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles, according to the WHO.
Mandatory credit: Ministry of Health KPK Peshawar
The Pakistani Health Ministry confirmed on Friday that it had identified the first case of mpox (monkeypox) in the country, a day after Sweden reported a new strain of the disease, following the outbreaks in Africa.
"The first case of mpox has been reported in KPK [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa], we have confirmed this case through PCR [polymerase chain reaction] and have sent the case for genetic sequencing to NIH [National Institute of Health] in Islamabad," said Irshad Roghani, the director of public health for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He went on saying that the measures to 'prevent, control, manage and facilitate' the fight agains the disease spreading were being taken in the country.
The variant of virus the patient contracted is still being identified.
"We have sent alerts to our health services teams located at border [with Afghanistan] to check all passengers with symptoms and to immediately screen them at spot. Later we will isolate and further manage these people with suspected cases," added Roghani.
"I can assure you that the government of KPK is taking all necessary measures" to prevent the spread of the disease, concluded the representative of the Health Ministry.
On Wednesday, World Health Organisation chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus claimed that mpox is a 'public health emergency of international concern' due to its rapid spread in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and other parts of Africa. Previously, the category was used for Ebola outbreaks, Covid-19 and a 2022 mpox surge in Europe.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the disease has been detected in 13 countries, with 96 percent of cases and deaths registered in DRC. This year the organisation has documented over 14,000 cases and 524 fatalities in the DRC alone while 38,465 cases were registered across Africa since January 2022.
On Thursday, Sweden announced the first case of the more dangerous modification Clade 1 type in country's capital. According to the Sweden's Public Health Agency, this marks the first confirmed virus case outside Africa.
Mpox Clade 1 type, currently in Africa, can kill up to 10 per cent of those infected, according to reports. It causes flu-like symptoms and skin lesions. Vaccines exist but are usually only available to those at risk or in close contact with cases.
Mpox is a viral infection that is transmissible both among humans and from animals to humans. The virus can spread through close physical interactions and contaminated items such as bedding, clothing, or needles, according to the WHO.