Mpox Alert: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hospitals on High Vigilance

Health authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have issued a critical advisory to all public and private hospitals, urging heightened vigilance for mpox. This directive follows the confirmation of more than two dozen cases within the province over the past year, a trend that has seen an increase in suspected referrals and laboratory detections.

Of the 26 identified patients, a significant majority were men. Initially, the infection was thought to be imported, linked to individuals deported from Gulf countries. However, recent patterns suggest local infections, potentially originating from Punjab, which itself experienced a sudden rise in cases late last year.

Hospitals are now mandated to promptly isolate any suspected mpox patients upon first contact and adhere to strict infection prevention protocols while awaiting test results. Clinicians have been advised to suspect mpox in individuals presenting with characteristic symptoms like rash, fever, body aches, and swollen lymph nodes, especially with a history of close contact.

The advisory underscores the importance of sustained surveillance and early recognition, aligning with recommendations from global health organizations. Health facilities are instructed to collect specimens carefully, document clinical and exposure histories, and refer samples for confirmation. The age range of confirmed cases spans from 10 to 80 years.

Officials express concern over the increasing number of mpox cases and the potential for local transmission, noting a shift where travel history is not always present and contact history can be difficult to ascertain. This change raises fears that mpox could become endemic if containment measures are not reinforced.