Islamabad, Oct 28 — Four new cases of mpox have been reported in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bringing the total number of infections in the province to 18, the provincial health department said on Tuesday.
Peshawar, the provincial capital, has reported the highest number of cases, with five infections, while one death from the disease has been recorded so far, the department said, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Symptoms of mpox include fever, headache, body aches and skin rashes or blisters.
The department advised people to avoid close contact with infected individuals to reduce the risk of transmission.
Last month, a case of monkeypox was confirmed in Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi in Sindh province, the provincial health department said.
According to hospital officials, a 45-year-old resident of Karachi's Surjani town tested positive for the virus through a PCR test after developing a rash.
The patient was brought to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and was undergoing treatment at the facility, officials had said.
The latest case increased the number of confirmed monkeypox infections in Sindh province to 42 this year, including 14 cases reported in Karachi, according to the provincial health department.
Authorities were conducting surveillance and monitoring efforts to prevent further spread of the disease.
Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral disease caused by an orthopoxvirus called monkeypox virus and spreads primarily through close contact with someone who has mpox, causing a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. It can make people very sick and leave scars.
The disease mainly spreads from person to person through close contact, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) statement. Transmission occurs through exposure to bodily fluids; lesions on the skin or on internal mucosal surfaces, such as in the mouth or throat; respiratory particles; and contaminated objects.
Prevention and control of mpox rely on raising awareness in communities and educating health workers to prevent infection and stop transmission. WHO recommends the use of vaccines for those most at risk of exposure during outbreaks, including people who have had close contact with someone with mpox, and health workers. People who were vaccinated against smallpox in childhood may have some cross-protection against mpox.