AKUH Calls for Urgent Awareness as Mpox Reaches Local Transmission in Pakistan

Infectious disease specialists warn of shifting outbreak dynamics and urge the public to recognise symptoms early and act without delay.

It appears that Mpox may no longer be arriving in Pakistan exclusively from abroad. With local transmission now suspected in Karachi and an active outbreak in Khairpur, Sindh, Infectious Disease experts at the Aga Khan University Hospital are urging healthcare providers, and policymakers to treat mpox as an immediate and evolving public health concern, not a distant one.

At a media roundtable held today, AKUH’s Infectious Disease specialists outlined the scale of the shift. Pakistan recorded 53 confirmed mpox cases in 2025, the majority travel-related. In 2026, that pattern seems to have changed. One of the two cases confirmed in Karachi this year points to possible local transmission, while the Khairpur outbreak suggests the virus has entered healthcare settings, exposing critical gaps in infection prevention and control beyond major urban centres.

We are at a moment where awareness can make the difference between containment and spread. People including physicians need to know the signs, act early, and not wait, said Dr Faisal Mahmood, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the Aga Khan University Hospital.

Mpox spreads through close, skin-to-skin contact and contact with contaminated materials such as bedding or clothing. Transmission may also occur through respiratory droplets during prolonged close contact, and, in certain circumstances, from mother to child during pregnancy or birth. Exposure through potentially unsterilised medical equipment has been reported in specific outbreaks and is under investigation. It is not considered an airborne virus.

Symptoms typically include fever, swollen lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash or lesions that may appear on the face, palms, soles, and genital area. Most people with a healthy immune system recover fully within two to four weeks. The risk of severe illness is higher among newborns, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals.

Mpox spreads through physical skin-to-skin contact and inhalation of the virus from an infected patient. Ignoring symptoms, delaying isolation, and poor infection prevention and control practices in healthcare facilities can lead to uncontrolled cross infection. All of this is avoidable, said Dr Fatima Mir, Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at the Aga Khan University Hospital.

AKUH experts urged anyone who develops symptoms consistent with mpox to isolate immediately and contact a healthcare provider. Those with known or suspected exposure to a confirmed case should monitor for symptoms for 21 days. Healthcare facilities are urged to reinforce infection prevention protocols without delay, particularly in neonatal and maternity settings.

Early action is the most effective intervention available. The time to take it is now.