Another suspected monkeypox case rings alarm bells
The health authorities in the port city are once again on alert as another suspected case of monkeypox has emerged.
The Sindh Health Department has taken immediate action, placing a 27-year-old passenger, who recently returned from Sharjah, in quarantine due to symptoms resembling those of monkeypox.
The individual is currently experiencing symptoms such as a cold, body aches, and itching from the shoulder to the waist. He has been isolated at the Sindh Govt Infectious Disease Hospital & Research Center.
Notably, just two days ago, three passengers arriving from Lebanon to Karachi were also quarantined due to suspicious symptoms, although initial reports did not confirm monkeypox in their cases.
Similarly, passengers who arrived at Karachi Airport from Libya the previous day have not yet been confirmed to have contracted monkeypox. Following medical advice, these individuals have been placed in quarantine for further diagnostic tests.
Dr Saad Khalid Niaz, the Caretaker Minister for Health, Public Health Engineering, and Social Welfare of Sindh, clarified that the new suspected case of monkeypox has not been confirmed at this stage. Initial reports on the three individuals suspected of having contracted the monkeypox virus have returned negative results. These three individuals are currently in quarantine, and additional tests will be conducted. They will be released if all subsequent tests also yield negative results.
It is essential to note that three passengers from Libya, aged between 30 and 45 years, displayed signs of monkeypox and were quarantined upon their arrival at Karachi Airport. The situation continues to be monitored closely by health authorities in Karachi.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 2nd, 2023.