By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reported a new suspected case of mpox virus on Monday, but said the recently identified African strain, which has sparked global concern, was not involved.
The health ministry classified the virus as Clade 2b, whereas the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is primarily associated with Clade 1b.
“The virus has been classified as Clade 2b,” the health ministry said in a statement. “Currently, the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is primarily associated with Clade 1b. Notably, as of now, there have been no reported cases of Clade 1b in Pakistan.”
Clade 1b has triggered global concern because it seems to spread more easily through routine close contact. A case of the variant was confirmed last week in Sweden and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent.
A 47-year-old traveler from the Middle East was referred to a hospital in Islamabad on Monday with suspected mpox symptoms. The patient, a resident of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, had been working as a laborer in the Middle East.
A sample had been sent to the National Institutes of Health for testing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, with over 27,000 cases and 1,100 deaths reported in the DRC since January.
The WHO has not recommended travel restrictions to curb the spread of mpox, which presents with flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. The disease is usually mild but can be fatal, particularly for people with weakened immune systems.
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