In response to the recent monkeypox (monkey pox) cases reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Lahore Airport has been placed on high alert. The Border Health Management convened an emergency meeting with airport managers, leading to the implementation of stricter protocols to prevent the virus’s spread.
Enhanced measures include the installation of thermal scanners at Lahore Airport to monitor incoming passengers, along with mandatory mask-wearing for both passengers and airport staff. Airport Manager Nazir Ahmad Khan confirmed these steps, noting that fumigation is already underway and isolation rooms are being established for any suspected mpox cases.
Punjab Health Department Directives
The Punjab Health Department has issued additional instructions to airport authorities, including the creation of isolation rooms. In collaboration with health officials, airport management has established protocols for quarantining and managing suspected mpox patients.
According to the health department’s guidelines, any passenger exhibiting symptoms of monkeypox, particularly those with temperatures above 97°F, will be quarantined and handed over to Border Health Management for further screening. Airline crews are also instructed to isolate suspected patients on board, allowing them to disembark last. Rescue 1122 services will then transfer these individuals to designated hospitals, where they will remain in isolation pending test results.
Thermal scanners will operate continuously in three shifts at the airport, with plans in place for providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and setting up PCR testing facilities for airport staff.
Punjab Designates Six Hospitals for Mpox Patients
The Punjab Health Department has designated six hospitals across the province to handle suspected monkeypox cases. In Lahore, General Hospital will manage treatments, while Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi, Allied Hospital in Faisalabad, Allama Iqbal Hospital in Sialkot, Nishtar Hospital in Multan, and Bahawal Victoria Hospital in Bahawalpur have also established isolation wards.
Suspected patients arriving from abroad will be transferred to these hospitals, which have been directed to prepare quarantine wards specifically for mpox patients.
Karachi Airport Also on High Alert
In Karachi, similar precautions are in place. The Sindh Health Department has stationed two Rescue 1122 ambulances at the airport, with comprehensive medical checks being conducted on all incoming passengers. According to Dr. Zafar Mehdi, spokesperson for Karachi airport’s health team, any passengers showing symptoms will be tested and isolated in government hospitals until results are confirmed.
Mpox Transmission and Precautions
During a press conference, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed, the Prime Minister’s Coordinator for National Health, explained that monkeypox, which first appeared in Africa in 1974, is primarily an animal virus that has crossed over to humans. While only one mpox case has been reported in Pakistan to date, the virus spreads through respiratory droplets, making close contact with infected individuals risky.
Dr. Mukhtar emphasized that although mpox is not as severe as COVID-19, it is crucial to isolate patients promptly and take preventive measures. He reassured the public that all passengers arriving from abroad are being thoroughly screened and urged families to take necessary precautions.
As Pakistan strengthens its defenses against potential mpox cases, health officials are working to ensure that the situation remains under control, with all necessary measures in place to prevent an outbreak.
