Pakistan Launches Mpox Contact Tracing After 4 Children Die in Sindh
The fatalities occurred last month in Khairpur, located in Sindh province, as first reported by a local English-language media outlet. The Sindh health department confirmed in an official statement that preliminary findings established mpox as a factor in the children's deaths.
The outbreak first drew attention after seven newborns presenting with chickenpox-like symptoms died across two Khairpur hospitals, prompting authorities to initiate a clinical investigation. That inquiry ultimately confirmed that four of the seven deceased had tested positive for mpox.
Nevertheless, a panel of medical experts determined that mpox was not the direct cause of death in any of the cases.
"All the children who died were premature, too weak and had low birth weight. They were already suffering health complications caused by malnutrition," the department said.
A health department official, speaking to media on condition of anonymity, disclosed that approximately two dozen patients — predominantly children presenting with abnormal skin lesions — had been identified across Khairpur and the neighboring Sukkur district.
In a containment measure, authorities temporarily shuttered neonatal intensive care units at Khairpur Medical College Hospital and a private facility to arrest further transmission.
"An expert team has identified the index case and the possible sources of virus transmission and infection," the department stated.
"The health department assures the public that the situation is under control and doctors at big hospitals in Sukkur and Khairpur (districts) are monitoring it," the statement said, urging people to report to a nearby government hospital if they see any unusual signs or symptoms.
Pakistan's state-run National Institute of Health Islamabad has recorded just two mpox-related deaths nationwide since 2022, rendering this outbreak a significant and closely watched development.
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