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Pakistan reports first case of Deadly mpox Virus

Context

Pakistan has confirmed at least one case of the mpox virus, a day after Sweden confirmed an infection with a more easily spread and deadlier variant linked to a recent outbreak in Africa.

WHO declares an International Emergency

  • The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the recent outbreak of MPox, a public health emergency of international concern.
    • This move follows the identification of a new strain of the virus and recent confirmations of an infection in Sweden, which is linked to the growing outbreak in Africa.The majority of the affected individuals are children.
    • This is the second alert. In 2022, a different form of the mpox virus – clade IIb – spread globally, largely through sexual contact among men who have sex with men.
  • Symptoms: Mpox, caused by the monkeypox virus, presents symptoms that include a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, and fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and can result in severe illness for some patients. In rare cases, the infection can be deadly.
  • Contagious Period: The affected individuals can spread the virus from the onset of symptoms until the rash has fully healed and new skin has formed.
  • Duration of Mpox Symptoms: Symptoms typically start within 21 days of exposure to the virus.
  • Incubation Period ranges from 3 to 17 days. During this period, individuals may feel fine and show no symptoms.
  • Transmission:
    • Direct skin-to-skin contact
    • Contact with saliva or upper respiratory secretions (snot, mucus)
    • Bodily fluids or lesions around the genitals
    • Prolonged face-to-face interactions (talking or breathing)
    • Contact with contaminated objects, fabrics, and surfaces
    • Pregnant women can pass the virus to the fetus during pregnancy or to newborns during and after birth
  • Vaccination: Smallpox vaccines can protect due to the relatedness of Mpox and smallpox viruses (both are orthopoxviruses).

About Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)

  • A PHEIC is a formal designation, giving a special status for an emergency caused by an infectious disease outbreak from the World Health Organization (WHO), tied to international law through the International Health Regulations (IHR).
  • A PHEIC is the strongest global alert the WHO can formally make.
  • When it is declared, countries have a legal duty to respond quickly, whereas with a pandemic there is no infrastructure around the decision-making process, agreed criteria, or agreement of what countries need to do in response.
  • The PHEIC declaration can accelerate research, funding and international public health measures and cooperation to contain a disease.
  • It triggers emergency responses in countries worldwide under the legally binding International Health Regulations.
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