Islamabad: The Ministry of National Health Science has issued guidelines regarding mpox to all airports in Pakistan following the detection of a case at the Islamabad airport.
The ministry confirmed that it was the first case of mpox — previously called monkeypox — detected in the country.
In this disease, patients commonly show symptoms such as a rash, fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “mpox causes signs and symptoms which usually begin within a week but can start 1–21 days after exposure.
“Symptoms typically last 2–4 weeks but may last longer in someone with a weakened immune system.”
Mpox cases have been on the rise across the world since last year, with 87,113 confirmed cases reported to the WHO between January 1, 2022 and April 24, 2023.
After confirming the first case in Pakistan, the National Institute of Health (NIH) had established two teams that were conducting contact tracing at Islamabad International Airport, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences and other places where the patient could have possibly been a source of the disease’s transmission.
Airports across the country had been directed to provide information about passengers exhibiting mpox symptoms.
Meanwhile, the Border and Health Services of Pakistan had been keeping an eye on every person entering the country, he said, assuring that “all necessary steps have been taken to ensure the safety and health of Pakistanis”.
Following the development, the National Command and Operation Center set up a control room to deal with mpox cases across the country.
The control room would update information about mpox cases on a daily basis to avoid misinformation and panic among the public.
Representatives of all provinces and 31 divisions and departments had decided during a virtual meeting that personal protective equipment (PPE) would be provided to all airports and isolation wards for suspected mpox patients would be set up in hospitals in major cities.
“As many as 50,000 face masks, 10,000 gowns, 100,000 surgical gloves, 1,000 bottles of disinfectants, 2000 hand sanitisers and 20,000 shoe covers have been dispatched to international airports across the country,” he said.
Wearing masks and using gloves had been made mandatory for all porters at airports, as well as staff providing assistance for pushing wheelchairs, handling luggage or coming in direct contact with passengers by any other means.
Passengers suspected to have been infected with mpox could avail the option of home quarantine and in that case, they would be provided PPE.
The official also refuted media reports about two mpox cases having been detected in the country and clarified that just one case had been reported so far.
Meanwhile, the Sindh health services director general issued a high alert to multiple hospitals in the province, directing them to take proactive measures for dealing with mpox cases.
The alert was issued to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, the National Institute of Child Health, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital and Sindh Government Lyari General Hospital in Karachi, Liaquat University Hospital in Hyderabad, Peoples Medical University Hospital in Shaheed Benazirabad, Ghulam Muhammad Mehar Medical College in Sukkur, Chandka Medical College Hospital in Larkana, Civil Hospital and the Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences in Khairpur, the Syed Abdullah Ahah Institute of Medical Sciences in Sehwan and the Jacobbabad Institute of Medical Sciences.
The alert, said: “In light of the emergent threat of monkeypox, it is imperative that hospitals take proactive steps for the management of suspected or confirmed cases.
“This includes the establishment of an isolation ward to provide safe and effective care for patients.
“Therefore, hospital administrations are required to establish designated separate areas with separate five to ten rooms for the isolation of monkeypox cases with appropriate infection control measures, including negative pressure, hand hygiene facilities, and personal protective equipment within 24 hours.
“Further, you are advised to nominate the focal person and share the contact details to this office.”
The notification said the matter should be treated as a “top priority”.
WHO describes mpox as zoonosis — “a disease that is transmitted from animals to humans, with cases often found close to tropical rainforests where there are animals that carry the virus”.
The WHO says that the disease can also spread from humans to humans.
“It can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, lesions on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth or throat, respiratory droplets and contaminated objects.”
According to a health advisory issued by the WHO last year, “People who closely interact with someone who is infectious are at greater risk for infection; this includes household members, sexual partners, commercial sex workers and health workers.”
