Islamabad, August 16: At least three cases of mpox have been detected in two days in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a health official told Xinhua news agency on Friday. The director of public health at the provincial directorate-general health services, Irshad Roghani, said that one case was detected in a 34-year-old male on Thursday and two others were confirmed on Friday morning, taking the country's overall tally in 2024 to three.

The viral infection was detected in the patients on their arrival from the Middle East where they worked, the official said. He added that samples of the fourth suspect had been sent to a laboratory for confirmation after the patient visited a hospital for skin-related issues. Mpox Outbreak: How Does It Spread? What Are Prevention Steps?.

According to the director, all three patients were being quarantined and all hospitals and other related facilities had been put on alert after confirmation of the disease in the province. Mpox Outbreak: Amid Surge in Monkeypox Cases in Africa, Sweden and Pakistan, Expert Urges Health Authorities To Begin Screening for Virus at Airports in India.

After the World Health Organization declared mpox a global public health emergency, Pakistan's National Institute of Health (NIH) issued an advisory on Thursday to ensure preparedness to deal with mpox. The NIH said that border health services have been directed to enhance monitoring at all entry points of the country.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 16, 2024 08:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).