- National command centre instructs all international travelers entering Pakistan be closely monitored for symptoms associated with mpox
ISLAMABAD: The National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Wednesday issued a heightened alert to border health services in response to a global surge in monkeypox cases and the recent emergence of the Zika virus in India, besides scheduling its meeting to review the emergent situation on Thursday (tomorrow).
The development comes as the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, following an outbreak of the viral infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has spread to neighbouring countries.
Mpox can spread through close contact. Usually mild, it is fatal in rare cases. It causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions on the body.
In its alert on Wednesday, the NCOC instructed that all international travelers entering Pakistan be closely monitored for symptoms associated with monkeypox. “Any traveler showing signs of infection, be immediately isolated in designated quarantine wards to prevent the potential spread of the virus”, the NCOC directed the border health services.
Pakistan has so far reported nine confirmed cases of monkeypox, with one resulting in death. All the affected individuals had recently returned from Arab countries, indicating that the virus has not yet taken root locally.
Determining a disease outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern” or PHEIC — the WHO’s highest level of alert — can accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and cooperation to contain the disease.
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. It has spread from Congo to neighbouring countries, including Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, triggering action from the WHO.
“It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Africa’s top public health body declared a mpox emergency for the continent a day ago after warning that the viral infection was spreading at an alarming rate.
More than 17,000 suspected mpox cases and 517 deaths have been reported on the African continent so far this year, a 160 per cent increase in cases compared to the same period last year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. A total of 13 countries have reported cases.
A different form of the mpox virus — clade IIb — spread globally in 2022, largely through sexual contact among men who have sex with men. This prompted the WHO to declare a public health emergency then, which it ended 10 months later.
In November of the same year, the organisation renamed the disease from the older term of monkeypox, citing concerns of stigma and racism associated with the name.
In a related announcement, the NCOC expressed concern over the spread of the Zika virus in Pune, India, where more than 80 cases and multiple fatalities have been recorded. The mosquito species responsible for transmitting Zika is also present in Pakistan, which raises further concerns about potential outbreaks within the country.
The Aga Khan University previously detected the Zika virus in Karachi during 2021 and 2022, leading to increased surveillance and preventive efforts against mosquito-borne diseases.
The NCOC’s alert is part of a broader strategy to protect public health as threats from infectious diseases continue to grow. The center urged health officials and the public to remain vigilant in light of these emerging health risks.
