Sindh province faces a growing Mpox outbreak, with health officials confirming 14 cases this year, including 12 in Khairpur and two in Karachi. Five deaths have also been recorded among affected infants in Khairpur, prompting urgent health measures across the region. Authorities are particularly concerned about emerging evidence of local transmission, especially after a recent case in Karachi involved a patient with no travel history.[pakistantoday+3]
Mpox Spreads Across Sindh
The viral disease, formerly known as monkeypox, has significantly impacted Khairpur, which accounts for the majority of the 14 confirmed cases. Karachi, the provincial capital, has also reported two cases. The first Karachi patient was a 31-year-old who had recently returned from abroad. However, a second case involved a 20-year-old male student from the Buffer Zone area with no international travel history.This second case, confirmed on April 8, 2026, signals a worrying shift towards local transmission within the community, according to health department officials.The patient is currently stable and undergoing treatment in isolation at the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre (SIDH&RC).[pakistantoday+10]
Fatalities Among Infants Raise Alarm
The outbreak has had a tragic impact on vulnerable populations, with five deaths reported among nine affected children in Khairpur. Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho clarified that Mpox was not the direct cause of death for these infants.Instead, the children were already extremely weak, premature, and suffering from malnutrition and other serious health complications.Pediatric infectious disease specialist Dr. Fatima Mir noted that Mpox cases are now emerging among newborns in Pakistan for the first time, raising serious public health concerns.This "neonatal crisis" in Khairpur highlights critical lapses in infection control, with investigations suggesting contaminated incubators and shared medical equipment in neonatal units may have contributed to the virus's spread among infants.[outbreaknewstoday+12]
Sindh Health Authorities Respond
In response to the escalating situation, the Sindh Health Department has implemented emergency measures across the province. They established isolation units in major government hospitals and supplied doctors and nurses with essential protective gear, including gowns, gloves, and masks.The department also ordered the establishment of Mpox Response Units in hospitals throughout Sindh, alongside special facilitation centers and round-the-clock public information desks.These measures aim to provide information about Mpox symptoms and ensure prompt medical care.Authorities temporarily closed neonatal intensive care units at one public and one private hospital in Khairpur due to the outbreak.A specialized team, led by focal person Dr. Shankar, is investigating the latest Karachi case to trace its origin and transmission pathway.The Sindh government also removed the Khairpur district health officer and appointed a new one as part of efforts to strengthen the response.[pakistantoday+10]
Public Health Measures and Global Context
Mpox primarily spreads through direct skin-to-skin contact, as well as through exposure to infected lesions or bodily fluids.Early signs of the disease include fever, cold, sore throat, and a rash that can later develop into pus-filled lesions.Health officials urge citizens to seek immediate medical attention at government hospitals if they experience these symptoms.Free Mpox testing is available at laboratories of Dow University of Health Sciences and Aga Khan Hospital, with results typically provided within 24 hours.The World Health Organization (WHO) has offered to provide Mpox vaccines for targeted use, specifically for high-risk groups such as healthcare workers and close contacts, if needed.This year's cases indicate a concerning shift from primarily travel-linked infections, which accounted for most of Pakistan's 53 confirmed cases in 2025, to increasing local transmission.Globally, the emergence of the deadlier Clade 1b variant in 2024 led the WHO to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.[pakistantoday+17]
Sindh health authorities are continuing to monitor the situation closely. They emphasize strict infection control protocols in healthcare settings and ongoing public awareness campaigns are crucial to containing the Mpox outbreak and preventing further spread across the province.[dawn+4]
