Karachi reports first confirmed mpox case; health officials on alert

• Man contracts mpox virus from wife, who recently travelled abroad. 
• Patient placed in isolation ward, strict measures implemented.
• Contagious mpox virus can spread through close contact.

KARACHI: Sindh health authorities confirmed on Saturday the city’s first case of mpox after a 28-year-old resident of Shah Latif Town tested positive.

According to the health department, the patient contracted the virus after his wife, who recently travelled abroad, developed symptoms.

The man has been placed in an isolation ward, and strict precautionary measures have been implemented. 

In response, health officials have intensified screening at airports and border entry points to curb further spread. Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant as they continue to monitor the situation closely.

Pakistan reported its first case of the disease in 2025 on January 25 when a passenger arriving from the Gulf tested positive at Peshawar airport.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent spread of the virus a global emergency in August last year.

In 2023, Pakistan had confirmed nine cases of mpox, all among travellers returning from the Middle East and other countries.

According to WHO, mpox is a viral disease related to the now-eradicated smallpox virus that can spread through close contact and contaminated materials like sheets, clothing, and needles.

How dangerous is it and who’s at risk?

The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has revealed that while some outbreaks of clade I mpox have killed up to 10% of people who get sick, more recent outbreaks have had lower death rates.

The fatality rate for clade II is less than 0.2%.

Those at risk of having more severe infections include infants, people with severely weakened immune systems and pregnant women.

What are the symptoms of mpox?

Initial symptoms are typically flu-like and include fever, chills, exhaustion, headache, and muscle weakness.

They are often followed by a painful or itchy rash with raised lesions that scab over and resolve over weeks.