The first locally transmitted case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, health authorities said on Monday.
According to Provincial Health Advisor Ehtesham Khan, the infected patient is a woman whose husband had recently returned from a Gulf country.
The patient was admitted to a hospital on February 18 after experiencing fever and body aches. A day later, rashes appeared on her body and mouth. Following laboratory tests conducted at Khyber Medical University, the disease was confirmed on February 21.
Health officials have completed the screening of the patient’s family and close contacts. “All close relatives, including the patient’s husband, have been instructed to self-isolate,” said the health advisor.
Authorities have urged the public to remain vigilant for symptoms of the disease and seek immediate medical assistance if needed.
Monkeypox, a viral infection, spreads through close contact with an infected person and causes fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic rash.
While cases have previously been detected among travelers returning from abroad, this marks the first instance of local transmission in the province.
