ISLAMABAD – Two people who returned to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia were found to be infected with monkeypox (mpox), prompting the National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (NHS, R&C) officials to request the World Health Organization (WHO) for vaccines.
During a meeting of the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC) on Wednesday, it was decided that a request would be made to the WHO for a considerable amount of vaccines to immunize healthcare workers and infectious diseases experts who would be at the forefront of dealing with confirmed and suspected cases of the disease.
In response to the situation, health institutions and establishments across Pakistan have been put on high alert, and isolation wards and filter clinics have been set up in major cities. The officials in Sindh and other provinces have established rapid response teams at the district level to oversee suspected cases of mpox and isolate confirmed and suspected patients.
Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus and can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever, which can be transmitted through physical contact with infected materials or animals.
