Islamabad, March 31 – Karachi, Pakistan, has reported its first case of mpox in 2026, according to local media reports on Tuesday, citing hospital sources.
A 31-year-old man who had recently returned from abroad was screened at the Karachi airport, where his symptoms raised suspicion of infection. He was immediately taken to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital for further evaluation, as reported by Pakistan's leading daily, "The Express Tribune."
The patient was admitted to the hospital, where he underwent medical examination and testing. Dr. Waheed Rajput, the hospital's superintendent, stated that the patient tested positive for mpox. However, he was discharged from the hospital within two days after showing improvement.
On February 7, Pakistan reported its second death related to mpox, following the death of a 53-year-old man from Faisalabad, who was also suffering from HIV and hepatitis B and C, while undergoing treatment at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
According to the hospital and health authorities, the patient was admitted to PIMS with extensive skin and genital lesions consistent with mpox, as reported by Pakistan's leading media outlet, Geo News. However, he died on February 7 while undergoing treatment at PIMS. This marked the second mpox-related death in Pakistan so far.
According to officials, the patient had no recent travel history, indicating local transmission of mpox in Pakistan. This has raised concerns among public health experts that the virus is circulating in Pakistan, with clear evidence of community spread.
The latest fatality in Pakistan has been reported after the first mpox-related death was recorded in Islamabad in December 2023, demonstrating the vulnerability of people with weakened immune systems to the severe outcomes of the disease.
Officials in Pakistan's federal health ministry and the National Institute of Health said that Pakistan had reported 53 confirmed cases of mpox in 2025, the majority of which were detected through surveillance at points of entry and hospitals. However, they admitted that the absence of travel history in the latest case indicates local transmission, highlighting the need for surveillance, early detection, and measures to control infection.