In just two weeks, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has confirmed its third case of monkeypox. Dr. Irshad Roghani, Director of Public Health, reported that a 51-year-old traveler from Orakzai district exhibited symptoms of the virus upon arriving at Bacha Khan Airport after a trip abroad.
Dr. Roghani explained that the suspected case was identified by medical teams during routine passenger screenings at the airport. The individual was promptly transported to Police Line Hospital in Peshawar for further diagnostic testing.
Blood samples collected by Rapid Response teams at Police Line Hospital were sent to the Public Health Reference Laboratory at Khyber Medical University (KMU), where the monkeypox infection was confirmed.
The patient, who is in stable condition, is currently being treated in the Isolation Ward at Police Line Hospital. This case marks the third confirmed instance of monkeypox in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within the past two weeks.
The first case in the province this year was reported on August 15, 2024, just one day after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency of international concern due to an escalating outbreak in Africa and a new virus variant spreading across several countries.
All confirmed cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa involve travelers who recently returned to Pakistan from abroad. The first case was reported in Mardan district, followed by a second case in Nowshera, and now the third case involves the traveler from Orakzai district. Genetic sequencing of the initial two cases confirmed that the patients were infected with the Clade 2B strain of the virus.
