Mpox patient isolated at Nishtar Hospital in Multan after positive test

MULTAN: A patient diagnosed with mpox was moved to an isolation area at Nishtar Hospital in Multan on Thursday after laboratory testing confirmed the infection.

The patient is from Muzaffargarh district and had been admitted to the hospital five days earlier. He was suffering from fever and rashes on his body before testing positive for mpox on Thursday.

A health department official confirmed that the patient was shifted to a designated isolation facility at the hospital after PCR-based laboratory analysis conducted at a public health reference laboratory in Punjab returned a positive result.

The official said the patient was under observation by infectious disease specialists. Standard infection prevention and control measures were also being enforced at the hospital to limit any further spread of the virus within the healthcare facility.

The same official said the patient had recently returned from Dubai.

Symptoms and precautions

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says mpox is a viral disease that typically starts with fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes and fatigue, followed by a rash that may develop into fluid-filled lesions.

The WHO says most cases are mild, but early medical care can help prevent complications.

The organisation advises that transmission risk can be reduced by avoiding close physical contact with anyone who has a rash or symptoms that may indicate mpox. It also recommends regular hand hygiene using soap and water or alcohol-based sanitisers.

Additional precautions listed by the WHO include not sharing bedding, towels, clothing or personal items with infected individuals, ensuring that suspected or confirmed patients remain isolated until their lesions have healed, and seeking prompt medical attention if fever, body aches or unexplained rashes appear.

Hospital response

The case was confirmed through PCR-based testing, and the patient was placed in isolation after the result was received. The health department official said monitoring by specialists was continuing, while infection control protocols remained in place at the hospital.