A nine-year-old girl suspected of having monkeypox was reported at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi, Pakistan. This comes as the latest case of the disease in the country. According to the hospital authorities, the girl had been experiencing fever and skin lesions for several days. She had recently arrived at Karachi airport from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, along with her family.
The hospital authorities were unable to quarantine the girl as her family denied permission for isolation at the hospital. However, they collected samples from the patient and have sent them to the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) for analysis. Monkeypox cases in Pakistan, whether suspected or confirmed, are believed to generally originate from Saudi Arabia. As people from all over the world, including areas of central and west Africa where the disease has re-emerged in recent years, visit for religious pilgrimage.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by a virus that is similar to smallpox. The virus is transmitted to people from animals, and then it spreads through human-to-human contact. While monkeypox has low mortality risk, it is highly contagious and can spread through close, personal contact. Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches, and a rash. The rash usually begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body.
Pakistan has so far reported three confirmed cases of monkeypox; two in Islamabad and one in Karachi. The provincial health department has conducted a refresher training course on monkeypox surveillance, response, and sampling techniques for rapid response teams at Jinnah International Airport to enhance their capabilities. The training aims to help teams identify suspected cases of monkeypox and respond quickly to prevent further spread of the disease.
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In recent years, monkeypox has re-emerged in several countries in central and west Africa. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), monkeypox outbreaks have been reported in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of the Congo, and Sierra Leone. The WHO recommends that all countries strengthen their surveillance and preparedness for monkeypox outbreaks.
In light of the recent suspected case in Karachi, the public health officials have advised people to take precautions to prevent the spread of the disease. The general public should avoid close contact with infected individuals or animals, and health care workers should take appropriate precautions when treating suspected cases. The authorities have also urged people to report any suspected cases of monkeypox to the relevant health authorities immediately.
