Two more cases of monkeypox (mpox) have been reported in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, bringing the total number of cases in the province to five this year.
According to the Health Department, the newly affected individuals include a 42-year-old man and a 20-year-old youth, both residents of Peshawar. While the 20-year-old's case is locally transmitted, the 42-year-old had returned from Saudi Arabia last year.
Advisor to the Chief Minister on Health, Ehtesham Ali, stated that both patients have been isolated at their homes. They had initially visited Khyber Teaching Hospital for treatment, where tests were conducted due to suspected symptoms. The results later confirmed mpox in both cases.
No symptoms have been detected in any family members of the two affected patients. Sources informed The Express Tribune that an earlier case of a woman affected by mpox was initially classified as locally transmitted. However, further investigation revealed that her husband had recently returned from abroad and had transmitted the disease to her.
The Health Department confirmed that the woman remains in isolation, but her case is not considered a local transmission. Her six children and parents were screened, and samples from two cousins were collected, but no mpox cases were detected among them.
Earlier this year, cases were also reported from Kohat, Khyber, and North Waziristan.
Background
In February, Ehtesham Ali confirmed another mpox case in the province. According to him, this was the first confirmed case of local transmission in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as previous cases were identified in individuals returning from abroad.
The affected woman's husband had recently returned from a Gulf country. Although he initially exhibited no symptoms, he later tested positive for mpox.
Dr. Fazal Majeed, Director of Public Health, stated that the patient was admitted to the hospital on February 18 with fever and body aches. By February 19, rashes and sores appeared on her body and inside her mouth, prompting Public Health Coordinator Dr. Muhammad Amir Khan to report the case.
On February 20, an investigative team collected her samples and sent them to the Public Health Reference Laboratory at Khyber Medical University, Peshawar. The diagnosis was confirmed on February 21.
Regarding the woman's husband, Dr. Majeed noted that he showed no symptoms upon returning to Pakistan. However, on February 5, he developed a fever and body aches, followed by rashes on February 6. Despite his symptoms, he remained at home for 10 to 15 days without seeking medical attention.
On February 22, a medical team reviewed the patient's history, screened her family members and close contacts, and instructed all exposed individuals, including her husband, to undergo home isolation.
Dr. Majeed has urged the public to stay vigilant for mpox symptoms and seek immediate medical attention if any signs appear.
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