Recent developments regarding the Mpox virus reveal that Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province reported its first suspected case on Thursday, as stated by a health ministry official in the national newspaper Dawn.
This announcement follows Sweden’s identification of the first global case of monkeypox (Mpox) for the year 2024, which was reported just one day earlier.
With the total number of reported cases reaching 14,000, there are growing concerns about the virus’s potential to expand beyond Africa.
Here are key updates on the Mpox virus’s propagation:
1) The epidemic is primarily concentrated in the central African nation of Congo, which accounts for 96% of the cases.
2) The World Health Organization (WHO) classified the virus as a global health emergency, following the detection of international cases.
3) The reported Pakistani patient is a man who was quarantined after returning from Saudi Arabia on August 3. His samples have been sent for laboratory testing, and authorities have been alerted.
4) Experts express concern that without early intervention, the Mpox virus could escalate into the next global pandemic, akin to Covid-19.
In terms of transmission, the Mpox virus, which has claimed 524 lives this year according to the WHO, is linked to smallpox. It is spread through direct contact with contaminated objects and animals. Symptoms can range from fever, chills, and body aches to more severe manifestations like skin lesions, sores, and ulcers.
Historically, a significant outbreak occurred in 2022 predominantly affecting gay and bisexual men through intimate contact. However, this time, over 70% of Mpox cases and 85% of deaths in Congo are reported among children under 15 years of age.
Scientists note that the newest strain of the virus appears to target genital areas instead of hands or chests, complicating identification and increasing transmission risks.