A 35-year-old laborer infected with mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) passed through health screenings at Islamabad International Airport on September 7, 2024, without being flagged, raising concerns about the effectiveness of Border Health Services (BHS). The man, who contracted the virus while working in a Middle Eastern country, was later tested positive in Peshawar, making it the first mpox case to arrive at Islamabad but detected elsewhere.
Despite showing clear symptoms of mpox, BHS officials at the airport failed to question or examine the individual. He sought treatment at Khyber Medical University in Peshawar, where a National Institute of Health (NIH)-designated lab confirmed his mpox infection.
This incident, marking Pakistan’s sixth confirmed mpox case, has sparked criticism of the inconsistent screening protocols at major airports, including Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. Previous mpox cases were detected at Peshawar airport, highlighting concerns about the effectiveness of public health measures at the country’s busiest entry points.
All six confirmed cases in Pakistan originated from individuals who had contracted the virus in Middle Eastern countries, with five cases detected after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024.