Pakistan Health Ministry Reports New Monkeypox Case: Tips for Containing the Virus

Pakistan reported a new suspected case of the Monkeypox virus on Monday , with the health ministry confirming that the new strain linked to an outbreak in Africa was not detected . The health ministry stated that a case of the Clade 2 variety has been identified in the country , while no cases of the Clade 1b strain have been diagnosed . The concern over Clade 1b is due to its ability to spread more easily through routine close contact , as seen in a confirmed case in Sweden last week , linked to a growing outbreak in Africa.

The recent diagnosis in Pakistan involves a 34 - year - old man who recently returned from a Gulf country . Health officials declared the case on Friday , with further testing to determine the exact strain of the virus . The health ministry classified the virus as Clade 2b and has not reported any cases of Clade 1 in Pakistan yet . Meanwhile , a 47 - year - old traveller from the Middle East was referred to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences ( Pims ) on suspicion of being infected with Monkeypox . The individual , a resident of Azad Jammu and Kashmir , was working as a labourer in the Middle East.

The World Health Organization ( WHO ) declared the recent outbreak of Monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern , following the identification of the new variant . With over 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC ) since January 2023 , the WHO raised its alert level . Despite a confirmed case in Sweden last week , the WHO did not recommend travel restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.

In the Philippines , the health department detected a new case of the Monkeypox virus , the first since December last year , involving a 33 - year - old Filipino male with no travel history outside the country . The Department of Health ( DOH ) is awaiting sequencing results to determine the strain . Symptoms in the patient began with a fever , followed by a distinct rash on various parts of the body . This case marks the 10th laboratory - confirmed case of Monkeypox in the Philippines , with the first case reported in July 2022.

Overall , the global concern over the spread of the Monkeypox virus continues , with countries like Pakistan and the Philippines reporting new cases . Health officials are closely monitoring the situation and conducting further testing to understand the nature of the virus strains present in different regions . Efforts are being made to contain the outbreaks and prevent further transmission of the disease.