Airports on high alert as Pakistan intensifies steps against monkeypox

Lahore Airport has been placed on high alert after the emergence of monkeypox (mpox) cases in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). In response, the Border Health Management convened an emergency meeting with all airport managers, tightening protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.

Thermal scanners have been deployed at Lahore Airport to monitor arriving passengers, and both passengers and airport officials have been asked to wear masks. Passengers arriving at the airport must also wear masks, according to Airport Manager Nazir Ahmad Khan.

“Fumigation is already underway at the airport, and isolation rooms are being established for any suspected monkeypox cases,” Khan said.

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Punjab Health Department instructions

The Punjab Health Department has given additional directions to airport officials around the state, including the creation of isolation rooms. The airport administration has worked with health experts to devise methods for quarantining and handling suspected mpox patients.

According to health department norms, if a passenger exhibits monkeypox symptoms, aviation will be notified, and those with fever over 97°F would be confined. The patient will subsequently be turned over to Border Health Management for additional screening.

Airline workers have been directed to isolate suspected patients from other passengers while on board, allowing them to leave at the conclusion. Rescue 1122 will transport suspected cases to specified hospitals, where patients will be kept in isolation until test results confirm the diagnosis.

Thermal scanners will also be operated by airport workers in three shifts around the clock. Personal protective equipment (PPE) and PCR testing facilities for airport staff are being developed, assuring increased personnel protection.

Punjab designates 6 hospitals

Meanwhile, the Punjab health administration has designated six hospitals around the state to treat probable monkeypox patients. General Hospital in Lahore has been approved as a treatment facility, while other institutions include Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi, Allied Hospital in Faisalabad, Allama Iqbal Hospital in Sialkot, and Nishtar Hospital in Multan. Bahawal Victoria Hospital has established an isolation unit for Bahawalpur patients.

Suspected patients from other countries will be sent to these hospitals, which have been ordered to establish quarantine wards for monkeypox patients.

Karachi airport on alert

The Sindh Health Department in Karachi has put in place similar procedures. According to Dr. Zafar Mehdi, spokesperson for the Karachi airport health team, two Rescue 1122 ambulances have been stationed at the airport, and all incoming passengers are being thoroughly medically checked.

“Tests will be conducted on any passengers showing symptoms, and they will be isolated in government hospitals until test results are received,” according to him.

Monkeypox transmission

Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, Prime Minister’s Coordinator for National Health, addressed the matter in a news conference, clarifying the origins of monkeypox and the hazards of transmission. “This virus initially originated in Africa in 1974 and is predominantly found in animals, although it has since infected people. Dr. Mukhtar stated that Pakistan has only recorded one incidence of mpox.

He stated that the virus spreads by respiratory droplets, frequently infecting individuals in close contact to the sufferer. Although the virus is not as severe as COVID-19, Dr. Mukhtar emphasized the significance of isolating patients right once and adopting preventive measures.

“All passengers arriving from abroad are being screened, and their families should take necessary precautions,” he told them.

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As the country prepares for probable mpox cases, health authorities are advising individuals to be careful while reassuring them that the situation is under control and that the required precautions are in place to prevent an outbreak.