Govt swings into action after mpox alert
As the world grapples with a deadly strain of mpox that has killed hundreds of people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a top health official on Saturday said the government has formulated a comprehensive strategy to protect people from the disease.
Mpox is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by animals but can also spread human-to-human through close physical contact. It causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions.
The first cases of the mpox outside of Africa were recorded this week, in Sweden and Pakistan. There are three strains of the virus, of which one is the new more deadly and more transmissible Clade 1b which prompted the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday to declare an international health emergency - the agency's highest alert.
Prime Minister's Coordinator for Health Dr. Malik Mukhtar Ahmad, while addressing a news conference, said that people need not worry as only one case of mpox has been reported in Pakistan. He added surveillance and screening are in place at all airports and points of entry.
Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that in the provinces, including the federal capital, laboratories are allocated for the diagnosis of mpox. He said that cases of mpox have been reported from Africa and people coming from Africa, America and the Gulf countries will be monitored.
He said that the ministry was in full contact with the provinces and on the instructions of the prime minister, a meeting is being conducted on daily basis. He appealed to the public to isolate themselves at home if their family has a travel history and mpox symptoms.
Dr Ahmad added in such a situation contact a qualified doctor and follow the doctor's instructions in case of having any such symptoms.
He said that the virus has been found in 99,000 people in the world and only 200 patients died and all others recovered. He said that symptoms may take 10 to 15 days to appear and spending too much time with the patient can spread it.
It is better if the patient is quarantined, he said adding that fever medicines are used for Mpox.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed for keeping strict vigilance on spread of Monkeypox (mpox).
Chairing a meeting on the measures being taken against the spread of the virus, the prime minister directed effective screening measures at all airports, seaports and borders of the country, besides asking the border health services to keep complete surveillance of the situation.
He also directed the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) to stay on high alert and hold daily evaluation of the situation and asked for provision of all required gadgets and kits for the evaluation of mpox virus.
The prime minister directed strengthening of coordination among the provincial governments, and the governments of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad and Jammu Kashmir.
He asked the authorities concerned to launch effective and complete awareness campaign, besides hinting to get weekly briefing over the mpox situation.
The meeting was apprised of the situation about the spread of monkeypox virus. A person in District Mardan was diagnosed as carrier of the virus. The resident had just returned to Pakistan from abroad where he was employed. He was quarantined and his condition was out of danger, the meeting was further apprised.
It was told that no local transmission of mpox was detected in Pakistan.
The federal and provincial governments were launching awareness drives in this regard, whereas Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) would supervise the flights arriving from abroad.
The provincial governments, governments of Gilgit Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad Capital Territory administration had allocated isolation wards and beds in the largest hospitals for the possible mpox virus cases.
All the precautionary measures were in place, it was further added.