Two new mpox cases reported in Lahore

LAHORE: Two new cases of mpox have been confirmed in Lahore, health officials said on Tuesday, raising fresh concerns among medical experts over undetected local transmission of the virus within the city.

The two patients, both women, are currently undergoing medical treatment in the isolation ward at Lahore’s Mayo Hospital, health officials said.

With the latest admissions, the total number of confirmed mpox cases in Lahore has reached 54 this year. Medical experts tracking the outbreak noted that neither patient has a history of international travel, confirming that the infections were contracted locally within the community.

Historically, mpox cases in Pakistan were predominantly import-driven, identified at airport screening counters in individuals returning from the Middle East or Gulf states.

“The presence of the virus in individuals with zero international travel indicates that hidden chains of domestic transmission are actively circulating within urban centers,” a senior dermatologist at Mayo Hospital said on condition of anonymity.

Health authorities have mobilised contact-tracing teams to identify the potential sources of exposure for both women and to screen close household contacts, the sources said.

The latest cases in Punjab come amid a broader, more severe resurgence of mpox across Pakistan this year.

According to data compiled by Pakistan’s National Institute of Health (NIH) and international health bodies earlier this year, the country has faced a sharp escalation in both infections and fatalities, breaking previous records.

Pakistan recorded a cumulative total of 58 cases and two deaths nationwide in 2025, mostly linked to overseas travel.

The country faced a severe surge centered heavily in Sindh province, which prompted healthcare investigations after reporting dozens of cases.

In March and April, the virus penetrated localized medical infrastructure, including a verified cluster of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) transmissions among neonates in Sindh.

Global health agencies, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have previously noted the detection of the mpox clade Ib strain in Pakistan, a variant typically associated with wider community dissemination.

The rising number of cases in Lahore has prompted provincial health departments to issue stricter infection-control guidelines to public and private hospitals, urging staff to ensure the rigorous sterilization of medical equipment and protective gear.