Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has called for keeping vigilance on the mpox spread after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared its outbreak in different parts of the world as a “public health emergency of international concern.”

He said this while presiding over a meeting on the measures being taken against mpox spread on Saturday. The prime minister stressed the need for ensuring screening measures at all airports, seaports and borders of the country, besides asking the border health services to keep complete surveillance of the situation.

PM Shehbaz also directed the National Command and Operations Center (NCOC) to keep alert and hold daily evaluations of the situation and asked for the provision of all required gadgets and kits to evaluate mpox virus.

The prime minister also called for the strengthening of coordination among the Gilgit Baltistan and Azad and Jammu Kashmir. He asked for the launch of the awareness campaign, besides hinting at getting weekly briefings over the mpox situation.

Officials told the meeting participants that a person in the Mardan district was diagnosed as a “carrier of the virus.” The resident had just returned to Pakistan from abroad where he was employed, they said and added that the affected person was quarantined and his condition was “out of danger.”

No local transmission of mpox was detected in Pakistan, they stated.

Pakistan enhances surveillance, screening for mpox, says nothing to worry

Surveillance and screening were in place at all airports and points of entry in Pakistan to stem the spread of the mpox virus (previously monkeypox), Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath, the prime minister’s coordinator on health said on Saturday.

“The people need not worry as only one case of mpox has been reported in Pakistan,” he said at a press conference in Islamabad. “The government has formulated a comprehensive strategy to protect the people from the virus.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent outbreak of the disease as a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant of the virus was identified.

A new form of the virus has triggered global concern because it seems to spread more easily through routine close contact. A case of the new variant was confirmed on Thursday in Sweden and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent. Pakistan also reported its first case of the virus on Friday.

Ahmad said that laboratories were allocated for the diagnosis of mpox in the provinces including the federal capital. Cases have been reported from Africa, he said and added that people coming from the continent, America and the Gulf countries would be monitored.

“The ministry is in full contact with the provinces and a meeting is being conducted on daily basis,” the premier’s coordinator said and appealed to the people to isolate themselves at home if their family has a travel history and mpox symptoms. “In such a situation contact a qualified doctor and follow the doctor’s instructions in case of having any such symptoms.”

He went on to add that the virus has been found in 99,000 people in the world and only 200 patients died and all others recovered. Symptoms may take 10 to 15 days to appear and spending too much time with the patient can spread it, he said and added: “It is better if the patient is quarantined. Fever medicines are used for mpox.”

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Sindh Health Department deploys team at airport

The Sindh Health Department has stationed a team at the airport to screen passengers arriving from abroad.

According to Dr Zafar Mehdi, the Sindh focal person for mpox, screening for international travelers was ongoing in line with advisory guidelines. He confirmed that there have been no reported cases of suspected monkeypox at Karachi airport thus far, with the screening being directly monitored by the Sindh Health Department.

Dr Mehdi stated that doctors and additional staff have also been deployed at the airport following the instructions of the health secretary. More than 150 diagnostic kits, along with two ambulances, have been provided to the team.

In the event a passenger shows symptoms of the disease, they would undergo testing, and if necessary, quarantine procedures would be implemented at NIPA Hospital, which has prepared an isolation ward for patients.