Pakistan has confirmed at least one case of the Mpox Case, following Sweden’s detection of a more easily spread and deadlier variant connected to a recent outbreak in Africa. Pakistan’s Ministry of Health stated that the specific strain of mpox involved in the case has not yet been identified.
Samples from the 34-year-old patient in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are being sent for genetic sequencing in Islamabad to determine the virus variant.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has raised its risk level for mpox from “low” to “moderate” and warned of an expected increase in imported cases.
Read more: Mpox Outbreak in Africa Declared Public Health Emergency
This alert follows Sweden’s report of the Clade 1 variant, which is more transmissible, and is linked to a severe outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). France has also elevated its public health alert in response to concerns about the virus.
Clade 1, which spreads more easily through close contact, was found in Sweden in a patient who had recently visited Africa, marking the first detection outside the continent.
The previous 2022 outbreak was associated with Clade 2, a milder variant endemic to West Africa, which resulted in about 140 deaths and 90,000 cases, predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men.
Health Emergency
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern on Wednesday due to the spread of Clade 1 in Africa, which has expanded from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
This year has seen over 14,000 mpox cases and 524 deaths in Africa, surpassing last year’s figures, with more than 96 percent of these cases occurring in the DRC.
Following the detection of a case in Sweden, the WHO highlighted the global interconnectedness and anticipated further imported cases of the new strain in Europe.
The organization has advised against travel restrictions and border closures, arguing they are ineffective. The declaration aims to prompt governments to fund research, enhance health systems, and expedite preventive measures.
Jonah Hull reported that epidemiologists in Europe believe the single case in Sweden likely indicates additional undetected cases, raising concerns about rapid international transmission. In response, Pakistan’s Health Ministry has instructed border and airport officials to closely monitor and test for symptoms in returning travelers.
Mpox, which causes flu-like symptoms, pus-filled lesions, and muscle pain, is typically mild but can be fatal to children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems, such as those with HIV.
China announced it will start screening people and goods for mpox over the next six months. Meanwhile, Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic plans to produce up to 10 million doses of its mpox vaccine by 2025 and is seeking European approval for its use in children aged 12 and older.
