Two suspected mpox patients shifted to hospital

PESHAWAR:

Two more suspected passengers who came from abroad were shifted to Police Service Hospital due to symptoms of mpox in Peshawar on Friday.

Both the suspected patients have been transferred to isolation ward of the hospital. The process of further screening and investigation of both the suspected patients has also been started.

A report of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Health Department states that 20,901 people have been screened at Bacha Khan International Airport and 21,040 people have been screened at Torkham Crossing. So far in K-P two patients have been confirmed to be positive for mpox.

Background

On Agusut 24, in a development that triggered a wave of concern across K-P, the province reported its second confirmed case of mpox, bringing the total number of patients to two. The latest case was confirmed by K-P Director of Public Health Dr Irshad Roghani.

The patient, a 47-year-old man from Nowshera, had recently returned to Pakistan from Dubai. His journey ended with an unexpected twist when routine screening at Bacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar revealed symptoms consistent with mpox.

He was immediately isolated at the Police Services Hospital Peshawar where healthcare professionals quickly moved to confirm the diagnosis.

According to Dr Roghani, the patient was subjected to a thorough medical examination after exhibiting symptoms such as fever, rashes, and body aches common indicators of Mpox. Samples were promptly sent to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Public Health Reference Lab for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, a reliable method for detecting the virus.

The test results confirmed the presence of mpox, adding to growing concerns about the virus's potential spread within the province.

To ensure accuracy and gather more data on this case, additional samples have been dispatched to the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad, he added.