Three cases of ampox reported in Pakistan; Know the symptoms and prevention measures of the viral infection
Pakistan has reported three ampox cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, found in travellers who arrived from the UAE. Two patients have tested positive, while the results of the third are pending. This comes after a new ampox strain has been identified in Sweden, the first confirmed case of the virus spreading outside Africa. Read on to know about the signs and symptoms to look out for.
Three cases of ampox reported in Pakistan; know symptoms and prevention measures (Image courtesy: iStock)
Just days after the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued a warning about the ampox virus, Pakistan has confirmed three cases, according to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s health department. The infection was detected in patients who recently arrived from the United Arab Emirates. Pakistan has reported cases of ampox before, but it is unclear what variant these new cases are, reports Reuters.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Director General of Health Services Salim Khan confirmed that two patients have tested positive for ampox, while samples of the third patient have been sent to the National Institute of Health in Islamabad for confirmation. All three patients are currently in quarantine.
On August 15, global health officials reported the detection of a new virus. Mpox strains in Sweden, linked to an outbreak in Africa. It marks the first confirmed spread of ampox outside Africa, coming just a day after the WHO declared the virus a public health emergency of international concern – its highest level of alert. The WHO declaration came after ampox cases spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to neighbouring countries.
Since the outbreak began in 2023, the DRC has recorded more than 27,000 cases and over 1,100 deaths, the majority of them children.
Symptoms of Ampox
Symptoms usually develop 7 to 10 days after exposure to the monkeypox virus. The virus can be spread through close or intimate contact with an infected person. Symptoms include:
1. Fever: A sudden high fever is often one of the early symptoms.
2. Headache: Fever is often accompanied by severe headache.
3. Muscle pain: Muscle pain and discomfort are common, especially in the back and limbs.
4. Fatigue: A general feeling of tiredness or weakness is often observed.
5. Swollen lymph nodes: Swelling of the lymph nodes, especially in the neck, armpits or groin, is a major symptom of ampox.
Within a few days of the fever, a rash usually develops, starting on the face and spreading to other parts of the body, including the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. The rash goes through several stages:
– Macules: flat, colorless spots on the skin.
– Papules: raised, solid bumps.
– Vesicles: small, fluid-filled blisters.
– Pustules: pus-filled lesions.
– Scabs: The pimples eventually dry out and form scabs, which fall off when the infection clears up.
The overall illness typically lasts 2 to 4 weeks, and although symptoms can be severe, most people recover without requiring intensive medical care.
Who is at risk?
Some people may be at greater risk than others. These include:
– People with weakened immune systems
– Children under 1 year of age
– People with a history of eczema
– pregnant women.
Preventive measures
Dr Ravindra Gupta, Head, Department of Internal Medicine, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, shares preventive measures:
– Avoid contact with persons with fever and rashes.
– Wash hands frequently and use sanitizer.
– Avoid close, intimate sexual contact.
– Animal to person transmission may occur through bites or scratches or by direct contact with an infected smallpox lesion.
– Vaccination, given in two doses at an interval of 28 days, helps reduce the risk of infection and severity of disease.
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