A 19-year-old man tested positive for mpox after developing rashes and is receiving treatment at an isolation ward in Karachi.
Web Desk: Sindh has confirmed another mpox infection, taking the province’s total number of reported cases this year to 41, hospital officials said on Friday.
The latest patient is a 19-year-old man who was brought to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital in Karachi after developing rashes on his body. Doctors collected samples for laboratory testing, and a PCR test subsequently confirmed mpox.
The patient has been admitted to an isolation ward for treatment, according to reports.
Sindh and Karachi case numbers
According to reports citing hospital sources, 41 confirmed mpox cases have been recorded in Sindh this year.
Of these, 28 cases have been reported from other parts of Sindh, while 13 have been recorded in Karachi, according to local media reports.
The latest case comes a day after reports of additional infections at the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital in Karachi.
What is mpox?
Mpox is a viral disease caused by the mpox virus, which belongs to the same virus family as smallpox.
The infection can spread through close physical contact with an infected person. Transmission can also occur through contact with contaminated materials, including bedding and clothing.
Common symptoms can include fever, chills, headache, exhaustion, muscle weakness and skin rashes or lesions.
People at greater risk of severe illness include infants, pregnant women and individuals with severely weakened immune systems, according to health guidance cited by Geo News.
Mpox variant detected in Pakistan
Federal and provincial health authorities previously confirmed the presence of the mpox clade 1b variant in Sindh and southern Punjab.
The development has increased the importance of surveillance, early diagnosis and appropriate isolation of suspected patients.
Pakistan reported its first confirmed mpox case in April 2023, involving a traveller who had arrived from Saudi Arabia.
