Last updated on August 29th, 2024 at 09:13 pm
Mpox case confirmed by the Health Ministry:
The mpox case in Pakistan has been confirmed, and as per the Health Ministry, it is of the Clade 2b virus strain. It involved a 34-year-old male who recently returned from a Gulf country. Last Friday, the case came to the fore, after which some additional tests were conducted to confirm the exact strain of the virus.
Clade 2b strain in Pakistan’s mpox case:
The Ministry of Health announced on Monday that the mpox virus detected in Pakistan is characterized as Clade 2b. This strain was considered responsible for a sudden spurt in the number of mpox cases globally in May 2022, affecting gay and bisexual men in particular. They further added that another strain, Clade 1b, which is causing the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has not been traced in Pakistan.
Global Fears of Mpox and WHO’s Warning:
The World Health Organization, also known as WHO, late this month declared that the spread of Clade 1b in Africa had constituted a public health emergency of international concern. The DRC is the epicenter of this outbreak, which so far has reported more than 16,000 cases with 548 deaths. Sweden reported its first case of Clade 1b outside Africa.
Pakistan on Guard Against Mpox:
Confirmation of the Clade 2b strain has been determined in Pakistan, and as such, the health departments have been doing their job on high alert with any trace amount regarding this virus, Clade 1b. Till now, no case from Clade 1b has come forward in Pakistan; however, as a precautionary measure, the monitoring continues unabated.
