Monkeypox (mpox) symptoms include fever, rashes and swollen lymph nodes. PHOTO: AFP
KARACHI:
Sindh has reported two more cases of monkeypox, or mpox, taking the total caseload recorded in the province this year to 95. The virus has claimed 11 lives so far.
The latest cases involve 21-year-old Salman Ali and 23-year-old Ishrat Fatima, both of whom tested positive for the virus, according to a report by Dow University’s provincial public health laboratory.
Both patients are already receiving treatment at the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital, officials said.
The emergence of additional cases has underscored the importance of continued surveillance and preventive measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Of the 95 cases thus far, 71 were men, accounting for 75.27 per cent, while 24 were women. People aged 30 to 39 were the most affected age group, with 26 confirmed cases, while 23 children up to the age of nine also tested positive for mpox.
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April recorded the highest number of cases at 31, followed by September with 20, August with 17, July with seven, October with six so far, March with five, June with four and May with two.
Experts said mpox is a viral disease that can spread through close physical or skin-to-skin contact with an infected person, as well as contact with lesions, bodily fluids or contaminated objects. Suspected patients should also limit close contact with others to reduce the risk of transmission, experts said.
Common symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, weakness, swollen lymph nodes and skin rashes or blisters. People developing symptoms have been advised to avoid close contact with others and seek immediate medical evaluation and diagnostic testing.
Medical experts advise avoiding close physical contact with infected individuals, maintaining proper hand hygiene and refraining from sharing personal items. People experiencing fever, swollen lymph nodes or unusual skin rashes and blisters should seek immediate medical attention.
