ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ministry of Health Sunday claimed that the first two cases of monkeypox reported in the country last week have recovered from the virus. One person, who had been deported from Saudi Arabia, had been under treatment at the Pakistan Institute Of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital, and has since been discharged.
The other person was in quarantine at home and is said to be in a stable condition. However, two new suspected cases of monkeypox were detected at Lahore’s General Hospital. The patients are a male and a female, who have been hospitalised for the last two days and are receiving treatment. Their symptoms include fever, red spots, and blisters. It is unknown where the patients contracted the virus or whether they were travelers.
Infectious disease experts in Pakistan have stated that many cases of chickenpox are being reported, but people are mistaking these for monkeypox. The experts have urged the Ministry of Health to pay attention to the increasing number of smallpox cases.
On Saturday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that it would assist Pakistan in containing the monkeypox virus, should the country require it. The organisation has been working with the Pakistani government to investigate the spread of the virus. There is no evidence of localised transmission of monkeypox in Pakistan so far, and the risk of international spread from the country is considered low. WHO has not recommended any trade restrictions based on available information regarding the outbreaks of monkeypox.
