Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz Memon on Friday appealed the federal capital residents to avoid rumors about the spread of monkeypox in the federal capital as no case of the virus had yet been diagnosed in Pakistan.
Monkeypox spreads differently from Covid-19, he said and urged the people to stay informed from reliable sources on the extent of the outbreak in their community (if any), its symptoms and prevention.After an alert issued by National Institute of Health (NIH) about the virus, the DC directed all the hospital, district health officers and all the health establishments to remain on high alert for any suspected case of monkeypox.
The NIH alert stated that monkeypox was a rare viral zoonotic disease that was caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Although the natural reservoir of monkeypox was unknown, African rodents and non-human primates like monkeys might harbour the virus and infect people.
The alert said the disease could be transmitted through contact with infected animals, humans or materials contaminated with the virus. The virus enters the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract or the mucous membranes like the eyes, nose or mouth.According to a NIH official the patient develops a rash within one to three days after the appearance of fever, often beginning on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body. Other symptoms include headache, muscle aches, exhaustion and lymphadenopathy.
