Mpox Cases in Pakistan's Sindh Rise to 25, Khairpur Emerges as Hotspot

So far, 122 suspected cases of mpox have been reported in Sindh in 2026. Among them, 25 patients have tested positive for mpox while nine patients have died, Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported.

Currently, Khairpur is the hotspot for mpox in Sindh with 18 confirmed cases, followed by four cases in Karachi and three cases in Sukkur. The statement released by the local department does not share detailed information about the new positive cases and the progress made in the investigation against two hospitals in Khairpur after several newborns were infected with the disease and later died.

Last week, Sindh's Health Minister Azra Pechuho said that emergency measures have been taken to contain the virus. She mentioned that isolation units have been created in major government hospitals, and doctors and nurses have been provided with protective equipment, including gowns, gloves, and masks, Pakistan's another leading daily The Express Tribune reported.

Earlier, while confirming that five of the nine children who were affected at the hospitals have died, Pechuho had mentioned that mpox "was not the direct cause of their deaths, as the children were too weak and malnourished."

Mpox is an infectious disease that can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fever, headache, muscle ache, back pain and low energy, according to the statement released by World Health Organisation (WHO). Majority of the people infected with the disease recover fully, however, some get very sick. Mpox is caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV).

Mpox can be transmitted through close contact with someone who has mpox, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals. During pregnancy, the virus may be passed to the fetus, or to the newborn during or after birth.

- IANS