KARACHI: The Sindh Health Department has confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the province on Thursday.
Officials said the case was confirmed in a 30-year-old person who arrived in Karachi from Jeddah in the past few days. The infected person was a driver in Jeddah and arrived at Karachi airport via Muscat.
The health department said samples were obtained from the passenger upon symptoms of monkeypox, and the patient has been shifted to the isolation ward. PCR tests conducted by Dow University of Health Sciences have confirmed the presence of monkeypox.
As of now, the Sindh health department has confirmed only one case of monkeypox in the province. In response to the confirmed case, the Sindh Health Services Directorate General issued an advisory on Wednesday, stating that hospitals in the province must establish a designated separate area with five to 10 rooms for the isolation of monkeypox cases within 24 hours.
The designated area should include appropriate infection control measures such as negative pressure, hand hygiene facilities, and personal protective equipment to provide safe and effective care for patients. The advisory also emphasized the need to be vigilant for detection of any suspected cases and ensure preparedness to launch response activities for curtailing the transmission of monkeypox disease in Sindh.
