Three possible mpox patients sent home as tests return negative

Three suspected mpox patients were sent home in Karachi after one showed no symptoms and the tests for the other two came back negative, according to the Sindh health department.

Geo News, citing sources, reported on Sunday that they were suspected of being infected with mpox after returning to Pakistan from Middle Eastern countries at the Jinnah International Airport. 

The patient with no symptoms of the virus was sent home yesterday, the health department stated that the other two suspects, were also discharged from the hospital after testing negative. 

The two had arrived in Karachi from Jeddah on Saturday, according to the health department.

All three individuals were immediately taken to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre, as confirmed by hospital officials.

Currently, there are six confirmed mpox cases in Pakistan, with the majority reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Mpox is a virus that causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions and, while usually mild, it can kill. Children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are all at higher risk of complications, reported Reuters.

The infectious disease has African countries in turmoil including DR Congo where there have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, the majority of the deaths occurred among children.

The outbreak began in January 2023 in the Congo and in August this year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent outbreak of the disease a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant was identified.