Pakistan has confirmed its first monkeypox case of the year after a man who recently returned from Saudi Arabia tested positive for the virus, ARY News reported citing the Ministry of Health.
The 34-year-old male resident of Mardan arrived in Pakistan on August 3 and developed symptoms shortly after arriving in Peshawar and reached out to the hospital for testing.
The diagnosis was confirmed by Khyber Medical University in Peshawar, as per ARY News.
His positive diagnosis was confirmed on August 13, marking the first reported case of monkeypox in Pakistan for 2024.
Health officials have begun contact tracing efforts to identify and monitor individuals who were in close contact with the patient, including fellow passengers on his flight from Saudi Arabia.
Earlier in 2023, three passengers were diagnosed with monkeypox at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport.
The Director General Health told the media that all three passengers were Pakistani citizens aged between 30 and 45. The passengers have been admitted to the infectious disease hospital.
