The Ministry of Health released a statement today (Monday) confirming that the virus has been classified as Clade 2b. This is significant because the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is associated with a different strain, Clade 1b. “As of now, there have been no reported cases of Clade 1b in Pakistan,” the health ministry stated.
Health officials in Pakistan have confirmed that the recent mpox case detected in the country is not linked to the new strain currently spreading through Africa. The case, which was reported last week, involved a 34-year-old man who had recently returned from a Gulf country. The diagnosis was announced on Friday, and subsequent testing identified the specific strain of the virus.
Mpox cases surged globally in May 2022, particularly affecting gay and bisexual men, largely due to the spread of the Clade 2b subclade. However, these cases have since declined significantly.
Last week, the World Health Organization declared the rapid spread of the Clade 1b strain in Africa as a public health emergency of international concern, which is the organization’s highest level of alert. This strain has become a significant concern, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where around 16,000 cases have been reported, resulting in 548 deaths.
In a related development, Sweden’s Public Health Agency reported the first case of the Clade 1b subclade outside of Africa last Thursday. This highlights the growing concern over the spread of this particular strain beyond the African continent.
