Authorities in Khyber district’s Ghundi Pump House area have imposed a 12-day “smart lockdown” after confirming a ninth monkeypox (mpox) case in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Deputy Commissioner Capt. (retd) Bilal Shahid Rao stated the lockdown aims to curb further spread, with entry and exit points sealed. Essential services like grocery stores, pharmacies, and emergency services will remain open under safety guidelines.
This follows the province’s eighth case last month, involving a 31-year-old man screened at Peshawar Airport while traveling to Dubai. His infection was confirmed at Khyber Medical University’s lab, and he was isolated at Police Services Hospital. Health officials traced his contacts and confirmed he arrived in Pakistan on April 16.
Earlier, a March case involving a woman in Dogra sparked confusion when initially suspected as local transmission. Investigations later revealed her husband, returning from a Gulf country, transmitted the virus. Though asymptomatic during screening, he tested positive later. The woman and her family were isolated, but no community spread was detected.
Also read: KP reports first domestic case of Monkeypox
The K-P Health Department urges vigilance, advising prompt reporting of symptoms like fever or rashes. Two recent cases in Peshawar are also under monitoring.
