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The first case of mpox was reported in Pakistan on Thursday, while two other people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who also returned from the UAE, have tested positive of the viral infection, the health department said read more
 "Mpox spreading in Pakistan? Two more cases reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa")
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared recent mpox outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern after a new variant of the virus has been identified. Source: REUTERS.
Mpox has started to spread in Pakistan with two more cases detected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the health department said on Friday. There are now a total of three cases of monkeypox virus in the country.
On Thursday, day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox as a public health emergency of international concern, Pakistan reported the first case of the virus this year after a 34-year-old man who recently returned from Saudi Arabia tested positive.
The man, a resident of Mardan, had arrived in Pakistan on August 3 and started showing symptoms shortly after reaching Peshawar.
The two other patients who also were tested positive for the viral infection had returned from the United Arab Emirates, the health department in northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said.
Health officials have sped up tracing the contacts of these individuals who have tested positive for mpox. All close contacts of the patients, fellow passengers on their flights are being traced.
Pakistan had had cases of mpox, however, it is not clear which variant was detected in the three patients who have recently tested positive.
On Wednesday, the WHO declared the recent outbreak of the disease in Africa as a public health emergency of international concern after a new variant of the virus has been identified.
The WHO’s highest level of alert was sounded after cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to nearby countries.
As per the global health body, over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths of mpox have been recorded in Africa this year, surpassing last year’s figures. More than 96 per cent of these cases and deaths have occurred in Congo, where a new, potentially more transmissible variant is causing concern among scientists.
What is mpox?
Mpox or monekypox was first identified in 1958 among monkeys. Recently it has spread to over 70 countries.
Mpox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox. The virus, though similar but milder to smallpox, has caused outbreaks globally since it was confirmed to spread via sex in 2022.
Initially, mpox cases were mostly reported in central and West Africa among people in close contact with infected animals. However, the 2022 outbreaks marked a significant shift, making it a global concern.
Mpox symptoms
Mpox symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, back pain, low energy, swollen lymph nodes along with pox-like rashes that last for two to three weeks.
In more serious cases, people can develop lesions on the face, hands, chest, and genitals.
Mpox is a self-limiting disease but can lead to death, especially among children and those with weak immune systems.
With inputs from agencies
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