Monkeypox Threat: CAA begins screening at Karachi airport

KARACHI: The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has begun screening passengers at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi after two cases of Monkeypox were reported, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

According to the CAA sources, the airport staff started conducting complete medical examinations of all passengers arriving from foreign countries.

Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) declared it mandatory for the airport staff – including porters – to use masks and gloves.

Moreover, the airport staff is restricted to give any protocol to the passenger despite rank or grade, all international passengers will undergo a complete medical examination, while suspected passengers will be immediately isolated and sent to the hospital.

It is pertinent to mention here that, as many as two cases of Monkeypox were reported in Pakistan for the first time which was also confirmed by the health department on Tuesday.

According to the health ministry, Monkeypox patients belong to the twin cities, of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Sources added that both patients arrived in Pakistan on the same flight from Saudi Arabia on April 17 and they were having symptoms of the infectious disease.

According to reports, the mpox patients were shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) Hospital and their blood samples were sent to the National Institute of Health (NIH).