Woman tests positive for Mpox at Pims

Islamabad witnessed a case of Mpox infection in a 41-year-old woman admitted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims). An Islamabad resident was brought to the hospital last week due to skin lesions on her face. The woman was placed in the Infectious Control Ward and samples were taken for testing at the National Institute of Health (NIH).

NIH confirmed the presence of Mpox in the patient, while noting that she was recovering well. Mpox, which spreads through close contact and causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions, was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) in July 2022. The disease, also known as monkeypox, is a rare viral zoonotic illness caused by the Mpox virus, which may reside in African rodents and non-human primates like monkeys.

The woman was diagnosed with clade II Mpox, which is less severe than clade I Mpox, the type responsible for recent outbreaks causing up to 10% of deaths in severe cases. Clade II Mpox infections have a survival rate of over 99.9%. Transmission occurs through contact with infected animals, humans, or contaminated materials, entering the body through broken skin, respiratory tract, or mucous membranes. Effective case management includes isolation to prevent the spread of the virus.