Mpox case in Khyber not locally transmitted

Health officials say no infection found in woman's family during surveillance

PESHAWAR:

The case of a woman who tested positive for mpox in Dogra, Khyber district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, has not been classified as a local transmission, health officials told The Express Tribune on Sunday.

The Health Department stated that the virus was transmitted from abroad rather than through community spread.

According to the department, the woman was hospitalized on February 18 with symptoms of fever and body pain, after which her case was officially reported.

Initially, authorities suspected it to be the first locally transmitted mpox case in the province, causing widespread concern and confusion. However, further investigation revealed that the woman, along with her six children, in-laws, and two cousins, was screened for mpox. As a precautionary measure, she was placed in isolation for 21 days.

Sources indicated that no active surveillance was conducted before the case was reported. It was later discovered that the woman's husband had recently returned from a Gulf country. Although he showed no symptoms during screening, he was later confirmed to be infected. The woman had contracted the disease from her husband.

Additionally, the Health Department reported two recent mpox cases in Peshawar. Both affected individuals are local residents.

One case involves a 20-year-old man, who has no travel history, making it the first confirmed locally transmitted case in the province. Health officials have begun screening his relatives and other contacts to assess the extent of local transmission.

So far, five cases of mpox have been reported in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa this year.

On March 6, two more cases were confirmed, bringing the province's total to five. The newly infected individuals include a 42-year-old man and a 20-year-old youth, both residents of Peshawar.

While the 20-year-old's case has been classified as 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 home. They had initially visited Khyber Teaching Hospital with suspected symptoms, after which tests confirmed mpox.

No symptoms have been detected among the family members of the two affected patients.

Sources told The Express Tribune that the woman's case was initially thought to be locally transmitted, but further investigation confirmed that she had contracted the virus from her husband, who had recently returned from abroad.

The Health Department confirmed that the woman remains in isolation. Her six children and parents were screened, while samples from two cousins were collected, but no additional cases were detected.