The Ministry of Health has confirmed a second case of monkeypox in Pakistan, identified at Peshawar Airport.
According to a health ministry spokesperson, the individual exhibited symptoms of the virus upon arrival and was immediately transferred to a hospital for further testing and treatment.
In a statement, the ministry clarified, “The virus has been classified as Clade 2b.”
Providing details on the new patient, Dr. Irshad Rugani, Director of Public Health Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stated that the 47-year-old is a resident of Nowshera.
Read more: Everything you need to know about Monkeypox: Symptoms and Treatment
This latest case brings the total number of confirmed monkeypox cases in Pakistan this year to two. The first case was reported in KP last week.
Earlier, WHO declared the monkeypox virus a public health emergency of international concern.
Clade 1b of the virus has triggered global concern due to its potential for easier transmission through routine close contact. Last week, a case of this variant was confirmed in Sweden, linked to a growing outbreak in Africa—the first sign of its spread beyond the continent.
Fortunately, there have been no reported cases of Clade 1b in Pakistan to date.
