A case of ampox in Pakistan (representative image)
Islamabad: The Pakistan government has announced that it has formulated a comprehensive policy to deal with the outbreak of the ampox virus and people should not worry about its spread. Prime Minister’s health coordinator Dr Mukhtar Ahmed told reporters that only one case has been reported in the country while surveillance and testing mechanisms are in place at all airports and entry points. According to Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) Newswire, Ahmed also said that laboratories have been assigned the responsibility for diagnosis in all provinces and the federal capital. He said passengers arriving from Africa, the US and Gulf countries will be monitored. He said the health ministry is ensuring continuous monitoring on a daily basis and the government is also closely monitoring the situation.
Instructions given to people
Ahmed appealed to people to isolate themselves at home if any of their family members have returned from travel or if anyone has symptoms of ampox. He also instructed people to contact a qualified doctor and follow their instructions if they notice any symptoms of ampox. He said that symptoms may take 10 to 15 days to appear and spending too much time with the patient can spread the infection.
PM Sharif gave instructions
“It is better to isolate the patient,” Ahmed said. He said anti-fever medicines are used for ampox. In a related development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on the issue of ampox and ordered strict monitoring of the spread of the disease. He also directed that effective screening be ensured at all airports, seaports and borders. The prime minister asked the border health services to keep a close watch on the situation. He also asked to launch an effective awareness campaign on the issue of ampox.
‘Investigation process must be expedited’
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Irfan Nawaz visited Islamabad airport to review the procedure followed for screening of incoming international passengers and directed that the screening process be expedited to ensure timely identification of potential ampox cases. He said health department staff are deployed at the airport where every passenger arriving from abroad is being thoroughly screened. Ampox (earlier called monkeypox) can spread through close contact. The World Health Organisation (WHO) last week declared the recent outbreak of the disease a public health emergency of international concern after a new variant of the virus was identified. (Language)
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