7th mpox case detected at Islamabad airport

ISLAMABAD: A 44-year-old man from Punjab’s Gujarat district has tested positive for mpox after returning from a Gulf state, marking the seventh confirmed case in Pakistan this year. This is the sixth case since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern.

The patient arrived at Islamabad Airport on September 14 and was immediately transferred to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) after showing symptoms of the virus. Health officials confirmed the diagnosis after samples sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) tested positive. The patient is reportedly in stable condition and is receiving treatment at PIMS. “This is the seventh confirmed case of mpox in Pakistan this year,” said a federal health ministry official. “Five of the previous cases were confirmed at the Khyber Medical University laboratory in Peshawar, while this latest patient is being treated in Islamabad.”

A senior health ministry official praised the efforts of Border Health Services (BHS) for detecting the case outside Peshawar for the first time. Regarding the previous incident in which a mpox-infected individual passed through Islamabad Airport undetected, the ministry official absolved the Border Health Services (BHS) of any negligence or failure in duty. “We have completed the investigation. The individual had no visible symptoms, such as lesions or rashes, and his temperature was normal at the time, which allowed him to pass through the airport unnoticed,” the official explained.

In a significant development, WHO recently approved the MVA-BN vaccine as the first pre-qualified vaccine against mpox, marking a milestone in the global effort to combat the disease. “This first pre-qualification of a vaccine against mpox is an important step in our fight against the disease, both in the context of the current outbreaks in Africa and for future preparedness,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The vaccine, administered in two doses four weeks apart, has shown an efficacy of 82% after two doses, with a single dose offering 76% protection.

The approval will allow international organizations like Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and UNICEF to procure the vaccine for distribution in low-income countries, even before full regulatory approval by the United Nations. To date, approximately 1.2 million people in the United States have received the Bavarian Nordic vaccine, one of the two globally approved vaccines for mpox.

The WHO’s decision is expected to expedite vaccine procurement and roll-out in countries most affected by the outbreak, particularly in Africa, where the virus has spread rapidly. “We now need an urgent scale-up in procurement, donations, and roll-out to ensure equitable access to vaccines where they are needed most,” Dr. Ghebreyesus emphasized.

Pakistan has reported six mpox cases in 2024, with the latest case in Islamabad. The WHO’s pre-qualification of the vaccine is expected to accelerate efforts to contain the virus. WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products, Yukiko Nakatani, said the approval would help governments fast-track the vaccine’s approval and distribution. Although the vaccine is not yet licensed for individuals under 18, WHO experts have recommended its “off-label” use in children, pregnant women, and those who are immunocompromised, particularly in outbreak settings where the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks.

With the rise in mpox cases and the WHO’s emergency declaration, Pakistani authorities are closely monitoring the situation. While the vaccine approval offers hope for controlling the outbreak, its roll-out in Pakistan remains a priority for health officials.