New mpox case reported in Peshawar

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa health department has identified a new case of mpox in the provincial capital, bringing the total number of infections in the province this year to six.

The latest patient, a 35-year-old woman, tested positive for the virus at the Public Health Reference Laboratory, Khyber Medical University, on Monday.

Her 42-year-old husband had previously been diagnosed with mpox on March 4 at the dermatology OPD of Khyber Teaching Hospital, where Dr. Mehran Khan, the department chairman, examined him. He was advised to quarantine at home.

However, his wife later visited the OPD, where the same dermatologist referred her for testing, and she was confirmed positive.

According to experts, the woman showed no symptoms when her husband was diagnosed but developed them later. They believe she may have contracted the virus from her husband before he was quarantined.

“It is also possible that despite taking precautionary measures, she still got infected. Currently, her husband has tested negative for the disease,” they added.