One case of new mpox strain detected in Pakistan

One case of the mpox virus has been detected in Pakistan of the clade 2 variety, the country's ministry of health said on Monday, adding that no cases of the earlier clade 1 strain of the disease have been diagnosed.

Clade 2, a new form of the virus, has triggered global concern because it seems to spread more easily though routine close contact. A case of the new variant was confirmed last week in Sweden and linked to a growing outbreak in Africa, the first sign of its spread outside the continent.

"As of now, there have been no reported cases of clade I in Pakistan," said Sajid Hussain Shah, spokesman for the ministry of national health services.

The World Health Organization declared the recent outbreak of the disease a public health emergency of international concern after the new variant was identified.

The WHO last week sounded its highest level of alert over the outbreak in Africa after cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo spread to nearby countries. There have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, mainly among children, in DR Congo since the current outbreak began in January 2023.



Reuters