ISLAMABAD: The federal health authorities have confirmed a new case of monkeypox after laboratory tests at the National Institute of Health (NIH) identified the viral infection in a 42-year-old man from Attock district who had recently returned from the Gulf country.
According to NIH officials, the patient from Village Malla Mansoor, Tehsil Hazro, Attock, arrived at Islamabad airport on August 15 from the Gulf state.
He was immediately referred to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) after Border Health Services staff observed visible symptoms of monkeypox, including body rashes and fever.
Hospital officials revealed that the man had been experiencing undocumented fever for the past eight days while still in the Gulf state, followed by the appearance of papules on his face and body five days earlier.
Upon his arrival in Pakistan, the patient was isolated and samples were sent to the NIH, which on August 18 confirmed monkeypox infection. Health authorities said the patient has been placed under strict home isolation and his condition is being closely monitored.
Officials further disclosed that the patient worked as a labourer in the Middle Eastern country and had reportedly been in contact with a confirmed monkeypox case there before developing symptoms. His case history suggests that the disease may have been imported through international travel, raising concerns about potential risks of transmission.
Monkeypox is a viral disease that spreads through close contact and causes fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, and in some cases, severe complications.
The Ministry of National Health Services has directed provincial health departments to strengthen surveillance and ensure screening of inbound travelers at airports to prevent further spread.
Pakistan had earlier detected sporadic cases of monkeypox in travelers, but officials insist that there is currently no evidence of local transmission. However, sources have said that cases of local transmission had emerged in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recently.
Experts caution that timely detection, isolation, and contact tracing remain critical to prevent community spread.
The confirmation of the case comes amid increasing international alerts regarding the resurgence of monkeypox in several countries.
Pakistani health officials have urged the public not to panic but to seek immediate medical attention if they develop unexplained fever and skin lesions, particularly after international travel.
