- Travelers from Africa, the US and the Gulf region will be screened.
- He says the symptoms of monkeypox take 10 to 15 days to appear.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz orders strict surveillance at all entry points
ISLAMABAD: Following the confirmation of the first case of monkeypox in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the federal government on Saturday urged the masses to exercise caution and not panic as the mortality rate of the virus was low.
Addressing a press conference here, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for National Health Services Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said there was no need to panic as only one case of mpox has been detected in Pakistan.
He said the virus has been detected in 99,000 people worldwide, of whom only 200 patients died and the rest recovered.
The prime minister’s coordinator noted that the person who tested positive for the virus in KP had recently returned from the Gulf region. He added that the detection prompted action by the relevant authorities, who isolated the relatives of the affected person.
“The government has formulated a comprehensive strategy to protect citizens from the virus,” Dr Ahmad said, adding that surveillance and screening measures have been implemented at all airports and entry points.
In the provinces, including the federal capital, laboratories have been allocated for Mpox diagnosis. Ahmad said travellers from Africa, the United States and Gulf countries will be screened.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Centre and provinces have taken steps on a priority basis to stop the possible spread of the disease.
The prime minister’s aide said the Health Ministry is ensuring continuous daily monitoring and the government is closely monitoring the situation.
Dr Mukhtar said the Ministry is in full contact with the provinces and on the instructions of the Prime Minister, a meeting is being held daily.
He urged people to isolate themselves at home if any family member has a travel history or symptoms of Mpox. “In such a situation, contact a qualified physician and follow the doctor’s instructions in case you have any of these symptoms.”
He said symptoms can take 10 to 15 days to appear and spending too much time with the patient can spread it. “It is better if the patient is quarantined,” he said, adding that fever-reducing medications are used for Mpox.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting on monkeypox after the first patient was diagnosed with the disease in KP.
Speaking at the meeting, the prime minister said the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a global public health emergency and stressed the need for strict monitoring to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Prime Minister directed the relevant authorities to ensure surveillance and control at all airports, ports and borders and directed the Border Health Services (BHS) to strictly monitor the current situation.
Mpox is a viral disease related to the now-eradicated smallpox virus and can spread through close contact and contaminated materials such as bed linens, clothing and needles, according to the WHO.
A new variant of the virus has sparked global concern because it appears to spread more easily through regular close contact. A case of the new variant was confirmed in Sweden on Thursday and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent.
