First case of MPOX came to light in Pakistan’s Punjab province

Punjab province on Tuesday reported its first case of the disease after Pakistan declared itself free of mpox, prompting health authorities to alert state-run and private hospitals in the province to take emergency measures. According to the Punjab Health Department, a person who had arrived from Saudi Arabia last month was found infected with Mpox, which is the first case of this infection in the province. Punjab’s Acting Health Minister Dr Javed Akram told reporters on Tuesday, “A 40-year-old man, a resident of Punjab’s Mandi Bahauddin district, was found infected with MPox on his return from Saudi Arabia last month.”

According to the World Health Organisation, the name of monkeypox has been changed to mpox. The change was made due to concerns of misogyny and racism associated with the name. Akram said that the report of another suspected patient is awaited. He said that an alert has been issued to government hospitals across the province regarding MPOX.

He said passengers suspected of having the disease should be screened inside flights or at airports. Earlier, a seven-year-old boy in Karachi was admitted to the hospital on suspicion of being infected with Mepox and kept in isolation. The new case comes days after National Health Services Minister Abdul Qadir Patel claimed that Pakistan has become free of pox disease as the only patient found infected with the virus has recovered.

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