A 20-year-old male patient from Muzaffargarh has been tested positive for Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, at Nishtar Hospital, official sources confirmed on Tuesday.
They informed that the patient-who is HIV-positive-tested positive for Mpox today adding that he had a history of fever and skin rash for the past one week and was admitted to the hospital on February 1 for further evaluation and treatment.
Hospital authorities said the patient has no recent travel history and no record of animal handling, indicating that the infection is endemic in nature. “The absence of travel or zoonotic exposure suggests silent community transmission,” they said, adding that the case highlights the need for heightened surveillance and public awareness to prevent further spread of the disease.
The patient has been isolated and is receiving treatment as per standard protocols, while health authorities are monitoring the situation closely.
Last week, the federal government ordered strict and enhanced health surveillance at all entry points of the country on Wednesday following regional alerts over the Nipah virus, a highly fatal zoonotic disease.
Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organisation because of its ability to spark fast moving outbreaks, its fatality rate of 40% to 75%, and the fact that there is no approved vaccine or cure.
The virus, carried by fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can trigger a deadly brain-swelling fever in humans and can also spread directly from person to person through close contact. Several vaccines are in development but remain in testing.