Date: Friday, August 16, 2024
Pakistan’s health ministry has confirmed three cases of monkeypox virus (mpox) in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This alarming news comes shortly after the first suspected case of the year was reported, signaling a potentially serious public health challenge for the country. A spokesperson from health ministry declared that the genetic sequencing of the confirmed cases is ongoing to confirm the variant of monkeypox virus.
Confirmed Cases and Current Situation
The viral infection was identified in three individuals who had recently returned from the United Arab Emirates. According to Dr Mohammad Saleem, chief executive officer of the Faculty of Paramedics and Allied Health Science, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Director General of Health Services for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, two of these patients have been confirmed to have monkeypox virus (mpox virus). The third patient’s samples have been sent for confirmation National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Islamabad. All three patients are currently under quarantine which highlights the urgent response by health authority outbreak management and containment of monkeypox virus.
However, strain of virus is still unknown and particular variant of the virus in these recent cases is still under investigation. The health ministry is conducting genome sequencing to determine the strain. However Pakistan reported its first case on April 2023, detected in a patient returned from Saudi Arabia last year.
WHO’s Response: Global Public Health Emergency
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the monkeypox virus or mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern a day before, following the detection of a new contagious variant of the virus which is capable of spreading easily through routine close contact.
The first outbreak reported in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) resulted in over 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths since January 2023, predominantly affecting children. However, the situation worsened when Sweden confirmed its first case of the new variant, marking its spread inter-continental spread before this case it was endemic to Africa.
What is Monkeypox?
Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, is a viral zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and between humans. Monkey pox virus is member of the genus Ortho poxvirus in the family Poxviridae, also known as mpox. Clade I and II are the virus’s two genetic subgroups. The World Health Organization proclaimed the monkey pox outbreak, also known as the mpox outbreak, a “public health emergency of international concern” on July 20, 2022.
What are Monkeypox Symptoms?
Monkeypox disease is a viral disease also called mpox spreading globally among homosexuals. The discomforting and severe monkeypox symptoms, also known as mpox, include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, a blistery skin rash, mucosal lesions, low energy, and enlarged lymph nodes. Typically, symptoms like a fever, headache, and sore throat come on first, followed by a skin rash anywhere on the body.
While mpox can be mild in many cases, the emergence of a new variant with increased transmissibility has heightened the global health community’s concerns.
Monkeypox Virus Compared with COVID-19 Virus
COVID-19 | Monkey pox or mpox | |
| Type of infection | Viral (SARS-CoV-2 virus) | Viral (Orthopoxvirus) |
| Animal origin | Zoonotic (Originated from Wild bats) | Zoonotic (Monkey) |
| Transmission | Highly contagious (human-to-human transmission) | Contagious but less than covid-19 (human-to-human transmission) |
| Fatality Rate | High fatality rate | Lower case fatality rate |
| Complications | High number of cases with severe complications a | Fewer cases of severe complications and painful monkeypox symptoms |
| Mode of Spread | Respiratory virus spreads through aerosol or droplets | Spreads through direct contact with wound or body fluids, respiratory spread may occur due to close face to face contact |
| Recovery Duration | Longer duration of recovery with treatment | Recover within a few weeks without the need for treatment. |
| Vaccine | Vaccine was not available and it took over a year to find a suitable vaccine to prevent infection | Smallpox vaccine available (antiviral drugs are effective against smallpox are approved to treat monkeypox) |
Pakistan’s Response and Next Steps
Keeping in view the developments, Pakistan’s health authorities are on high alert. The ongoing genome sequencing of the confirmed cases is crucial for identifying the monkeypox virus or mpox virus variant and developing public health strategies for containment of monkeypox virus outbreak in Pakistan. If a new, more contagious variant is detected, it will be a huge challenge for health authorities of Pakistan to manage the outbreak.
The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) has already issued an advisory on managing monkeypox outbreak or mpox outbreak, urging the public to follow preventive measures such as avoiding close contact with infected individuals and maintaining good hygiene practices.
Monkeypox Preventive Measures
- In case of monkeypox virus health emergency,
- Public must follow the guidelines issued by health authorities.
- Avoid close contact.
- Wear mask and ensure hand hygiene
- Quarantine and avoid public interaction in case of any symptoms
Q1 : What is Monkeypox Virus?
A1: Monkeypox virus, is a viral zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and between humans. Monkey pox virus is member of the genus Ortho poxvirus in the family Poxviridae, also known as mpox. Clade I and II are the virus’s two genetic subgroups.
Q2: What are Monkeypox Symptoms?
A2: Monkeypox symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, a blistery skin rash, mucosal lesions, low energy, and enlarged lymph nodes. Typically, symptoms like a fever, headache, and sore throat come on first, followed by a skin rash anywhere on the body.
Q3: How Monkeypox Virus Spreads
A3: Monkeypox virus spreads through direct contact with wound or body fluids, respiratory spread may occur due to close face to face contact or sexual contact.
Q4: How to avoid monkeypox?
A4: To avoid monkeypox, avoid close contact with infected individuals and practice good hygiene, including frequent handwashing. Also avoid sexual contact with affected people, wear mask and strictly follow the guidelines instructed by health authority.