Suspected monkeypox case detected at Karachi airport

Health authorities isolate passenger who displayed monkeypox symptoms after arriving on a flight from Saudi Arabia.

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A passenger arriving at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport has shown symptoms of monkeypox, according to health officials conducting screening at the airport.

The passenger, identified as Shamsheer Ali from Rahim Yar Khan, was transferred to Sindh's Infection Disease Hospital for further observation.

Shamsheer Ali had flown in on a Saudi airline flight from Saudi Arabia, and upon discovering the symptoms during routine screening, health authorities took immediate action.

In response, the Saudi aircraft was disinfected, and additional precautionary measures were implemented at the health immigration counter and conveyor belt area, which were thoroughly sprayed and disinfected.

The authorities are closely monitoring the situation as part of the broader effort to prevent any potential spread of the virus.

Previously, Dr Syed Zafar Mehdi, the focal person at Jinnah Terminal Airport, had confirmed that the Sindh Health Department has deployed over 20 doctors and paramedical staff at the airport to perform their duties.

Separate rooms have been established for the examination of suspected passengers, and medical teams are working around the clock to manage and monitor the situation effectively, he maintained.

Following the confirmation of a monkeypox (mpox) case in Pakistan, the Sindh health department began screening passengers at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport in August and issued an advisory to healthcare institutions across the province.

A health department official explained that in the designated area, suspected patients' travel history and symptoms are assessed, and if symptoms are present, samples are collected for PCR testing.

The advisory outlined guidelines for detecting and managing cases, emphasizing the importance of strict infection control measures, including hand hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment by healthcare workers.

In 2023, Pakistan reported 11 mpox cases, including one death. In response to the ongoing threat, the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) has urged the government to implement immediate and stringent measures to prevent the entry and spread of the virus in the country.

The PMA also stressed the need to enhance contact tracing and isolation efforts for suspected cases to control the outbreak.