Three mpox cases detected at Jinnah Terminal

Passengers coming from UAE put in isolation centre; blood specimen sent for lab test

KARACHI:

The airport officials have confirmed the arrival of three passengers on Thursday having symptoms of the dreaded virus of monkeypox (mpox).

According to airport officials, two Pakistanis and a Somali national, arriving from Gulf countries, were found having symptoms of mpox at Jinnah Terminal.

They were immediately separated from other passengers during screening and shifted to an isolation centre, sources said.

The Civil Aviation Authority has already declared an emergency at all airports and put in place screening protocol for all foreign passengers due to a high alert for mpox outbreak.

“Blood specimens of suspected patients have been sent for laboratory test,” said Border Health Services (BHS) Director Dr Ghulam Murtaza Shah.

According to airport sources, Bashir Malam, a Somali national, landed at Jinnah International Airport coming from Dubai on flight FZ329, while the two Pakistani nationals, Ayub Khan and Muhammad Javed, came from Sharjah onboard flight G9548.

The patients have been placed under the supervision of an isolation centre administered by the Federal Ministry of National Health Services and Regulations, he said.

Dr Murtaza also stated that a total of five cases of mpox have been reported so far due to symptoms and other reasons, with two reported at Islamabad and three at Karachi airport.

The mpox suspected carriers will be allowed to go home if their test reports come negative. However, if they test positive for mpox, they will be kept in isolation for 21 days, he said.

The provincial health department is responsible for the diagnosis of mpox in suspected patients through blood samples, he said.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Health Department has dismissed rumours about suspected mpox cases, detected in passengers at Karachi airport, saying that the airport management is not authorised to share such news.

The department added that it has been working diligently to deal with the possible outbreak of monkeypox in Sindh as isolation wards have been set up in several hospitals, including JPMC in Karachi and CMCH in Larkana.

A separate 20-bed ward has also been assigned for possible monkeypox cases at the Infectious Diseases Hospital in Karachi.

The Health Department has advised against spreading baseless and sensational news that causes panic among people. Moreover, it is not ethical to reveal the identity and addresses of people without their consent, whether or not they are confirmed patients of monkeypox.