KARACHI / SUKKUR(National Times)- An outbreak of mpox, the first local outbreak of the zoonotic viral infection in the country, has claimed the lives of at least four newborns in Khairpur, it emerged on Saturday.
The worrisome child health situation involving death of seven newborns in two Khairpur hospitals took an alarming turn when the provincial health department confirmed that “initial findings showed that four of the seven children [who died] were affected by mpox”.
Sources said the seven babies affected by mpox were under treatment in intensive care units at public and private hospitals in Khairpur and seemed to have acquired the infection from unsterilized equipment.
The health department said that it received information about “unusual skin pimples” affecting children in Khairpur on March 14.
Sources said that blood samples of the affected children had been sent to Karachi from Khairpur by the health department for analysis.
All the samples were analysed at the Sindh Public Health Laboratory, Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and the Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), which confirmed seven cases of mpox.
According to a health department statement: “A review by medical experts, however, indicates that their deaths were not directly caused by mpox. All children who died were premature, too weak and had low birth weight. They were already suffering health complications caused by malnutrition.”
Expressing concern over the child health crisis, Dr Abdul Ghafoor Shoro of the Pakistan Medical Association described it as an outbreak of mpox, which needed urgent measures to prevent its further spread in the community.
Hospitals shut as contact tracing begins
In its statement, the health department said that “in order to prevent spread of the virus, the neonatal intensive care units of the Khairpur Medical College, Hospital and a private hospital have been temporarily closed down”.
“An expert team has identified the index case and the possible sources of virus transmission and infection,” it added.
According to officials, the department is currently engaged in contact tracing and has directed all hospitals to enforce infection control protocols.
“The health department ensures the public that the situation is under control and doctors at big hospitals in Sukkur and Khairpur are monitoring it,” the statement says, urging people to report to a nearby government hospital if they see any unusual signs and symptoms.
Sindh Health Care Commission Chief Executive Officer Dr Ahson Qavi Siddiqi told Dawn a team had visited the hospitals in question on the request of the health department and ensuring to implement infection control protocols.
“A committee led by the deputy commissioner and all stakeholders on board has been set up along with a surveillance team to monitor the situation,” he said, adding that the hospitals were registered with the commission.
Many more suspected cases reported
Cases involving children having unusual skin lesions continue to be reported in Sukkur, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad.
Numerous cases have surfaced at Sukkur Children’s Hospital and various private facilities in Khairpur.
Authorities have set up isolation centres in difference hospitals.
Sukkur Commissioner Abid Saleem Qureshi has written a letter to the Sindh health secretary about an emergency-like situation in Khairpur and Sukkur districts.
It said that out of 16 reported cases of this “chickenpox-like” mysterious disease, seven children have died. Most victims are newborns, and their mothers have shown similar symptoms.
Initial investigations point toward poor infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in hospitals as the primary cause of the rapid spread.
Meanwhile, the commissioner directed Khairpur district health officer to initiate comprehensive contact tracing, followed by timely sampling, isolation and monitoring of all identified contacts.
He issued strict instructions to all government hospitals regarding the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits, and a Rapid Response Team (RRT) has been formed to monitor the situation.
He said all concerned departments are directed to treat the situation as a public health emergency and ensure immediate, coordinated and result-oriented measures.
