‘No need to panic’, says top official as PM issues directives to stop spread

• Travelers originating from Africa, the US, the Gulf region will be screened.
• He says the symptoms of monkeypox take 10 to 15 days to appear.
• Prime Minister Shehbaz orders strict surveillance at all entry points

ISLAMABAD: After the first case of monkey pox was confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the federal government on Saturday urged the masses to be cautious and not to panic as the fatality rate of the virus was low.

Addressing a press conference here, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for National Health Services Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said there is no need to panic as only one case of mpox has been identified in Pakistan.

He said the virus was detected in 99,000 people in the world of which only 200 patients died and the rest recovered.

The prime minister’s coordinator pointed out that the person, who tested positive for the virus in KP, had recently returned from the Gulf region. He added that the detection led to actions by the relevant authorities, who isolated the family members of the affected person.

“The government has formulated a comprehensive strategy to protect citizens from the virus,” Dr Ahmad said, adding that there is surveillance and control at all airports and entry points.

Laboratories for the diagnosis of Mpox are available in the provinces, including the federal capital, he noted. Ahmad said travelers coming from Africa, the United States (US) and the Gulf countries would be screened.

He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Center and the provinces have taken priority measures to stop the possible spread of the disease.

The prime minister’s aide said the Ministry of Health is ensuring daily continuous monitoring and the government is closely monitoring the situation.

Dr Mukhtar said the ministry is in full touch with the provinces and on the instructions of the chief minister a meeting is held on a daily basis.

He urged people to self-isolate at home if their family has a travel history or Mpox symptoms. “In such a situation contact a qualified doctor and follow the doctor’s instructions in case you have such symptoms.”

He said symptoms can take 10 to 15 days to appear, and spending too much time with the patient can spread them. “It is better that the patient is in quarantine,” he said, adding that antipyretic drugs are used for Mpox.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired an emergency meeting on monkey pox after the first patient of the disease was diagnosed in KP.

Speaking during the meeting, the prime minister said the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a global public health emergency. He stressed the need for strict monitoring to prevent the spread of the virus.

The prime minister instructed the relevant authorities to ensure surveillance and control at all airports, ports and borders. He directed the Border Health Services (BHS) to strictly monitor the current situation.

Mpox is a viral disease related to the now-extinct smallpox virus and can be spread through any close contact and contaminated materials such as sheets, clothing and needles, according to the WHO.

A new form of the virus has caused global concern because it appears to spread more easily through everyday close contact. A case of the new variant was confirmed on Thursday in Sweden and is linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent.