Federal Probe Launched into Monkeypox Outbreak in Khairpur, Sindh
Islamabad: The federal government has initiated an investigation into the monkeypox outbreak in Khairpur. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the situation and ordered immediate action. A team of health experts from the National Institute of Health (NIH) has been dispatched from Islamabad and is expected to arrive in Khairpur today.
Federal health authorities expressed concern over delays in case reporting by provincial authorities. The government has demanded immediate sharing of case data and instructed that samples be sent to the National Reference Laboratory in Islamabad. The NIH also reminded Sindh province that timely reporting is mandatory under International Health Regulations, warning that delays at the provincial level could undermine national containment efforts.
According to officials, 25–30 suspected cases were reported in Khairpur yesterday, with additional cases emerging from surrounding areas. Experts from Dow University have collected samples and begun laboratory analysis.
The NIH has also offered genomic sequencing and clade analysis to Sindh authorities. Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Health has directed enhanced monitoring, stricter airport screening, and a coordinated federal-provincial response system.
Authorities emphasized that immediate and coordinated measures are critical to contain the outbreak, warning that concealment or delayed reporting could accelerate the spread of monkeypox.
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