Karachi Reports New Mpox Case as Sindh Tally Climbs

A 26-year-old man in Karachi has tested positive for mpox, adding fresh concern to Sindh’s public health situation as the province continues to report new infections. The case was confirmed on Monday and has pushed the provincial tally to 37, according to the report, making it the third confirmed infection in three consecutive days.

The patient is a resident of Karachi’s DHA area and works as a security guard. Health sources said he had no recent history of international travel, a detail that has raised attention because earlier mpox cases in Pakistan were often linked to passengers arriving from abroad or individuals with travel exposure.

The man is receiving treatment at the Sindh Infectious Disease Hospital and Research Centre, one of the key facilities handling infectious disease cases in the province. Officials said this is the ninth mpox case managed at the hospital and the twelfth confirmed case reported from Karachi, underlining the city’s growing role in the current cluster of infections.

A senior doctor at the facility suggested that the rise in reported cases may partly reflect better awareness among patients and healthcare workers. The doctor also pointed to stigma around the disease as a continuing barrier, saying many patients may delay visiting hospitals because of social pressure, fear of identification or lack of information.

The latest case follows two other recent confirmations in Karachi involving men from Gulistan-e-Jauhar and Landhi, both of whom also reportedly had no foreign travel history. This pattern has strengthened concerns that local transmission may be becoming more visible, even if officials have not yet declared a wider community outbreak in the city.

Sindh has already faced a worrying mpox situation this year, with at least nine deaths reported from the infection in the province. In April, a serious outbreak was reported in Khairpur, where the disease, previously associated mainly with travel-linked cases, affected vulnerable patients and led to multiple deaths among newborns.

Mpox is a viral illness that can cause fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes and skin lesions. While many patients recover with medical care, the disease can become dangerous for newborns, people with weak immune systems and those who delay treatment, making early detection and isolation important for controlling spread.

For Karachi, the case is significant because the city’s dense population, crowded neighbourhoods and large workforce movement can make disease surveillance difficult. Public health experts have repeatedly stressed that hospitals, clinics and community workers must report suspected cases quickly so that contacts can be traced and patients receive timely care.

The development also places renewed responsibility on health authorities to strengthen public messaging without creating panic. Clear guidance on symptoms, testing, hygiene, safe contact practices and treatment access can help reduce misinformation while encouraging people to seek medical support early.

The next steps will likely include monitoring the patient’s condition, tracing close contacts and reviewing whether additional cases emerge from the same area or workplace. If more locally linked infections are confirmed, Sindh’s health department may need to expand surveillance and public awareness campaigns to prevent the infection from spreading further in Karachi and other districts.