Three Passengers from Saudi Arabia Exhibit Monkeypox Symptoms at Karachi Airport

Three passengers who arrived in Pakistan from Saudi Arabia were flagged for exhibiting monkeypox (Mpox) symptoms during routine medical screenings at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport. The passengers have been transferred to Sindh Government Hospital in NIPA for further evaluation, according to airport sources quoted by ARY News on Sunday.

Swift Precautionary Measures Taken

Airport authorities took immediate action by disinfecting the immigration and walkway areas with spray as a precautionary measure. This latest case follows a series of suspected monkeypox incidents reported in Pakistan over the past month.

Recent Monkeypox Cases in Pakistan

On September 20, a 26-year-old passenger from Abbottabad arriving from Jeddah was flagged for possible monkeypox symptoms during a health screening. The patient was admitted to a local hospital for further examination, where doctors noted he was exhibiting rashes and lesions. The Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital and Research Centre confirmed that while the patient was stable, he remained under medical observation.

Similarly, on September 15, another passenger arriving on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from Jeddah displayed symptoms of monkeypox. He was immediately transferred to a government-run isolation ward in Sindh for further evaluation and treatment.

Adding to the growing concern, a fifth confirmed case of monkeypox was reported earlier this month in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. A 33-year-old resident of Peshawar, who had returned from Saudi Arabia on September 7, was diagnosed with the virus and is currently under isolation at his home in Lower Dir, closely monitored by health officials.

Rising Concerns Amid Outbreak

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued urgent warnings following an unprecedented rise in monkeypox cases across the country. At least nine confirmed cases have been reported, with officials calling for immediate public health measures to contain the spread of the virus. Authorities are ramping up screenings, particularly for passengers arriving from affected regions, as Pakistan battles this emerging health threat.