The National Institute of Health (NIH) expert on Monday has confirmed that no further monkeypox case was detected in country as all the national and provincial health authorities had been advised to remain on high alert for any suspected case of this virus.
Focal Person NIH Dr Muhammad Suleman talking to a Private news channel said that the Centre for Disease Control, NIH was strictly monitoring the situation and would keep the stakeholders updated.
He said that screening of all incoming passengers is being ensured particularly passengers coming from African countries. As monkeypox cases were rising globally, the Pakistani government has issued a standard operating procedure to conduct surveillance to local authorities at all entry points to the country that included all international airports, seaports, and land border crossings, he mentioned.
He further said that the two patients who were admitted in PIMS hospital are now completely stable and recovered from the infection, adding, there is no need to panic.
Replying to a question, he explained the virus is not much severe as chickenpox and coronavirus, adding, Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that can spread from animals to humans and also between people coming from infected countries, he said.
The symptoms of monkeypox include fever, intense headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, swollen lymph nodes and a skin rash or lesions, he added.
The virus spreads when someone is in close contact with an infected person, he said, adding, the virus can enter the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract or through the eyes, nose or mouth.
To another question, he said timely detection, awareness and notification were important for prompt implementation of preventive measures and all public and private hospitals had been directed to ensure readiness for isolation and treatment.
