First cases of mpox have been detected outside of Africa with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the recent outbreakof the disease as a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant of the virus was identified.
Despite cases of mpox being reported in Sweden and Pakistan and amid fears that the virus would continue to spread, the WHO and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) advised againsttravel restrictions to stop the spread ofmpox.
The WHO said that it would publish a list of temporary recommendations for countries soon.
> Pakistan said on Friday (Aug 16) that authorities would be taking all necessary measures after the health ministry confirmed at least one case of mpox in a patient who returned to Pakistan from a Gulf country. Earlier, it was reported that three patients in the country were detected with the virus.
> Speaking to the news agency Reuters,Dr Irshad Ali Roghani, director of public health at Directorate-General Health Services of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said the sequencing of the confirmed case was underway, and that it would not be clear which variant ofmpoxthe patient had until the process was complete.
> Reuters reported that passengers were being screened, fumigation was being carried out at Jinnah International Airport inKarachi. Meanwhile, passengers were also being screened at theBacha Khan International Airport in Peshawar. An isolation ward was also set up in the city.
> Before Pakistan, Sweden on Thursday confirmed its first case of mpox,which was also the first case outside Africa.The person was infected while staying in a part of Africa where there was a large outbreak of the disease, Olivia Wigzell, director-general at the Swedish Public Health Agency told a press conference.
> Sweden's confirmation came a day after the WHOdeclared the disease a global public health emergency for the second time in two years.
> The WHO's announcement of declaring mpox a global public health emergency came afteran outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.
>The outbreak in Congo began with the spread of an endemic strain, known as clade I. But a new variant, clade Ib, appears to spread more easily through routine close contact, including sexual contact, Reuters reported.
> Earlier this week, the United States (US) State Department said that it was closely tracking the spread of mpox in Central Africa. The State Department said that Washingtonprovided more than $17 million beyond their regularly programmed health assistance to supportmpoxpreparedness and response efforts in Central and Eastern Africa.
Also watch | WION Fineprint:WHO warns more MPOX to come in Europe after case in Sweden
>A German infection expert on Friday called for existingmpoxvaccine supplies to be shipped to Africa, where they would have the greatest potential to tackle the disease.
> A Swedish expert, meanwhile, said that public awareness ofmpoxand its symptoms, as well as efficient isolation and contact tracing procedures, were key to preventing the spread of the virus.
Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is a rare disease similar to smallpox caused by a virus. It’s found mostly in areas of Africa but has been seen in other regions of the world. It causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, and a rash that can take weeks to clear.
The virus has been a public health problem in parts of Africa for decades.The first human case was reported in Congo in 1970, and it has had outbreaks ever since.
Reuters reported that the current outbreak, Congo's worst ever, has seen 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths since January 2023, largely among children.
(With inputs from agencies)