Health authorities have advised all public and private hospitals in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to remain alert for mpox after more than two dozen cases were detected in the province over the past year.
The advisory was issued following an increase in suspected cases and laboratory-confirmed infections reported through the provincial surveillance and diagnostic system. Officials said a total of 26 patients have been identified so far, including 18 men and six women.
According to health officials, earlier mpox cases were mostly linked to individuals arriving from Gulf countries who had tested positive before being deported to Pakistan. However, more recent cases indicate possible local transmission, with some infections believed to have originated from Punjab.
Punjab had initially reported no cases but later confirmed more than 25 mpox infections late last year. Officials believe this rise may have contributed to the spread of the virus to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Hospitals have been instructed to immediately isolate suspected patients and follow infection prevention and control protocols while waiting for test results.
Doctors have also been advised to suspect mpox in patients showing symptoms such as rash, fever, body aches, and swollen lymph nodes, especially if they have had close contact with a suspected case.
Special attention has been requested from dermatology departments, pediatric units, sexual health services, and emergency departments, where initial cases are often identified.
Health facilities have also been directed to collect lesion swab samples according to national guidelines and send them to the Public Health Reference Laboratory for confirmation through real-time PCR testing.
Officials said hospitals should follow the mpox management guidelines issued by the National Institute of Health (NIH) in Islamabad for case identification, sampling procedures, and outbreak response.
The number of cases has increased in 2025 compared to 2024, with additional infections reported in early 2026. Health authorities warned that the rising number of cases and the lack of travel history in several recent infections suggest possible community transmission, raising concerns that the disease could become endemic if monitoring and control measures are not strengthened.
