In Islamabad, the first test results for monkeypox in Pakistani women
A 19-year-old woman, who recently returned from Saudi Arabia, has been found to have contracted monkeypox in Islamabad, Pakistan. Upon her arrival at Islamabad airport, authorities immediately directed her to the isolation ward at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Hailing from Gujranwala, her sample was sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) for screening, and the test results later confirmed her positive status. This case marks the first instance of a Pakistani woman being diagnosed with monkeypox. In South Asia, prior to this, there have been three reported cases of monkeypox, two in Islamabad and one in Karachi.
Last month, Federal Ministry of Health reported that the first two cases of monkeypox in the country had recovered from the virus.
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One patient who had been receiving treatment at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital after being deported from Saudi Arabia has been discharged, while the other patient was in quarantine at home and is in a stable condition.
However, infectious disease experts have expressed concerns about an increase in cases of smallpox in Pakistan, with many cases of chickenpox being misdiagnosed as monkeypox. Two new suspected cases of monkeypox have been identified in Lahore’s General Hospital, with one female and one male patient currently receiving treatment for symptoms including fever, red spots, and blisters.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that it will assist Pakistan in containing the monkeypox virus as required, but no evidence of localised transmission of monkeypox has been found in Pakistan so far, and the risk of international spread from the country remains low. Monkeypox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus and can be transmitted to humans through contact with contaminated materials, infected animals, or someone who is infectious. Symptoms of the illness include skin rash, mucosal lesions, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
