ISLAMABAD, Aug 17: Pakistan's health ministry has confirmed a case of mpox in a patient who recently returned from a Gulf country. The specific strain of the virus has not yet been determined as sequencing is still underway.

The case was reported on Friday, with the health ministry spokesperson noting that the exact variant of mpox will be identified once sequencing is complete. This development comes amid global concern over a new form of the virus that spreads more easily through close contact. A case of this new variant was recently confirmed in Sweden and linked to an outbreak in Africa.

In Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, health officials initially reported three cases but later corrected it to one confirmed case. The patient, who had returned from Saudi Arabia, was initially treated in Peshawar before going missing from his home in Mardan. Efforts to locate him in Mardan and nearby Dir district have so far been unsuccessful.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the recent outbreak a public health emergency of international concern but advised against travel restrictions. The WHO's recent alert follows a significant outbreak in Africa, with 27,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths reported since January 2023.

In response to the confirmed case, Pakistan's health ministry is enhancing airport surveillance and contact tracing efforts. Health officials are working to identify the virus strain and are closely monitoring the situation.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. While usually mild, it can be severe in vulnerable populations such as children and those with weakened immune systems.

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