The Ministry of National Health Services Regulations and Coordination on Tuesday confirmed that the country has reported its first case of Monkeypox.
According to an official of the Health Ministry, the health authorities have started contract tracing.
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The samples of the person were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH) Islamabad and a day earlier, the Institute confirmed that it contained infectious virus.
The official added that the person’s relatives are now being screened and asked to remain in quarantine to ensure the virus does not spread.
He said that airports across the country have been put on high alert after the detection of the virus besides taking other preventive measures.
According to health experts, Monkeypox is a virus that spreads from animals, including rats and primates, to humans in exceptional cases.
The infectious disease is endemic in Central and West Africa, where the majority of cases have occurred.
The virus was first discovered in 1958 after the outbreak of “pox-like” disease in laboratory monkeys, which gives it the name Monkeypox.
The symptoms of Monkeypox included fever, body pains, chills, and exhaustion, while people with severe illness can develop rashes and sores on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.
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The disease is a component of the same viral family as smallpox.
The quarantine period of the virus usually lasts between five days and three weeks, while majority of people recover within two to four weeks without hospitalization. However, one in ten persons can die from Monkeypox, and the disease is said to be severe in young people.