Karachi, Pakistan, has confirmed its initial case of mpox in 2026, as per local reports on Tuesday. A 31-year-old man, returning from abroad, displayed symptoms of infection during screening at Karachi airport. He was promptly transferred to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital for assessment, where he tested positive for mpox and was discharged after two days upon showing improvement.
In a separate incident on February 7, Pakistan recorded its second mpox-related fatality. A 53-year-old man from Faisalabad, who also had HIV and hepatitis B and C, succumbed to the disease at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS). The patient exhibited skin and genital lesions consistent with mpox, leading to concerns of local transmission within Pakistan.
Health authorities in Pakistan highlighted the absence of recent travel history in the patient, suggesting potential community spread of mpox. The country had reported 53 confirmed cases of mpox in 2025, with most cases identified through surveillance at entry points and medical facilities. The emergence of local transmission underscores the importance of enhanced surveillance, early detection, and infection control measures.
