Monkeypox is spreading in Pakistan. Seven children have died in Khairpur. A second case has appeared in Karachi. And doctors are now warning that the virus is no longer coming from abroad; it is spreading locally.

Pakistan Faces a Growing Monkeypox Crisis

Pakistan is dealing with a serious monkeypox health emergency right now.

In the last few days, two major developments have shaken the country. First, seven children died in Khairpur district of Sindh, with four confirmed monkeypox deaths. Second, Karachi reported its second monkeypox case of 2026, a 22-year-old resident with no travel history at all.

That last detail is critical. No travel history means the virus did not come from abroad. It spread locally. And that changes everything.

Health experts, doctors at Aga Khan University Hospital, and government officials are now all saying the same thing: Pakistan needs to act fast.

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Key Facts at a Glance

Seven Children Dead in Khairpur: What Happened?

The most alarming part of this story comes from Khairpur, a district in Sindh’s Sukkur Division.

A sudden outbreak of severe skin illness hit children in the Thari Mirwah area of Khairpur. Parents noticed blisters, rashes, fever, and weakness in their children. Seven children died in a short period. Nineteen children were infected in total.

Authorities confirmed that four of the seven deaths were caused by monkeypox. The other deaths involved measles and other complications. Several children suffered from both diseases at the same time, which made their condition worse.

Deputy Commissioner Khairpur confirmed the monkeypox deaths. Commissioner Abid Saleem Qureshi took charge of the emergency response. He set up control rooms in Sukkur, Khairpur, and Ghotki districts and shared public helpline numbers immediately.

The Sindh Health Department ordered the Aga Khan University Lab to diagnose blood samples from suspected cases as a priority. However, the government has not yet fully released all test reports to the public, something health experts have openly criticised.

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Second Monkeypox Case Confirmed in Karachi

On April 9, 2026, Karachi confirmed its second monkeypox case of the year.

A 22-year-old man from the Buffer Zone area of Karachi tested positive for the virus. He showed all the key symptoms of monkeypox. He is currently receiving treatment at Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital, according to Dr Waheed Rajput, the Medical Superintendent of the hospital.

Here is what makes this case alarming: he has no travel history.

The first Karachi case this year was linked to international travel. This second case has no such link. That means the virus reached him through local contact, not from abroad.

Infectious disease specialist Dr Faisal Mahmood confirmed at a media briefing at Aga Khan University Hospital: “In Karachi this year, one of the two confirmed cases was locally transmitted from Khairpur.”

This is a turning point. Pakistan is no longer just receiving monkeypox from other countries. The virus is now spreading person to person inside the country.

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Sindh Government Orders Emergency Response

The Sindh Health Department moved quickly after the Khairpur deaths.

It ordered monkeypox response units to be set up in hospitals across the entire province. Instructions went to all District Health Officers (DHOs) and Medical Superintendents.

Here is what the government ordered hospitals to do:

• Set up special treatment centres for suspected monkeypox patients
• Run round-the-clock public information desks with trained staff
• Enforce strict infection control inside all hospital wards
• Submit situation reports within 48 hours
• Coordinate actively between hospitals, surveillance teams, and emergency services

Across the Sukkur Division, authorities established isolation wards to manage patients and stop further spread.

A 10-member team of specialist doctors from Islamabad also arrived in Khairpur to examine infected children at the city hospital. The team included Dr Asif Syed, Dr Saeed Khan, Dr Azizullah, Wajid Ansari, Zia Qureshi, and others. Civil Surgeon Rafiq Mangi joined them during the assessment.

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WHO Steps In With a Vaccine Offer

The World Health Organization has also entered the picture.

WHO offered vaccines as monkeypox cases increased in Khairpur. Experts say that while the vaccine offer is important backup, the immediate priority must be strict infection prevention, rapid case detection, and transparent reporting.

Pakistan stopped vaccinating against smallpox in the 1990s. Since smallpox vaccines provide roughly 85% protection against monkeypox, millions of Pakistanis today have zero immunity against the virus. This makes the current situation more dangerous than it would have been 30 years ago.

How Does Monkeypox Spread? What You Need to Know

Many Pakistanis do not fully understand how monkeypox spreads. Here is a clear, simple explanation.

Monkeypox spreads through:

• Direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person
• Contact with infected clothing or bedding
• Prolonged exposure to respiratory droplets from an infected person
• Contact with infected animals, particularly rodents and primates

Monkeypox does NOT spread through:

• Casual conversation at a distance
• Sharing food in normal circumstances
• Simply being in the same room briefly

Dr Fatima Mir, Professor of Paediatric Infectious Diseases at Aga Khan University Hospital, gave a clear warning: “One of the major reasons for infection in newborns could be cross-infection in hospitals where proper hygiene and isolation protocols are not strictly followed.”

Poor hospital hygiene, like placing multiple patients on a single bed or admitting new patients without proper disinfection, is a direct cause of spread in healthcare settings.

What Are the Symptoms? How to Identify Monkeypox

Every Pakistani family needs to know the warning signs. Here they are, simply explained.

Early symptoms (first few days):

• Sudden fever
• Severe headache
• Muscle pain and body aches
• Extreme tiredness and weakness
• Swollen lymph nodes (lumps in the neck, armpits, or groin)

The rash (appears 1 to 3 days after fever):

• Starts on the face
• Spreads to arms, legs, and body
• Goes through clear stages: flat spots → raised bumps → fluid-filled blisters → pus-filled sores → scabs
• The sores look similar to chickenpox but are more painful
• All sores appear at the same stage at the same time (unlike chickenpox)

Incubation period: 7 to 14 days after exposure (sometimes up to 21 days)

How long does it last: 2 to 4 weeks in most cases

Important warning: Early monkeypox can look like measles or chickenpox. With over 13,000 suspected measles cases reported in Pakistan this year, many early mpox infections with unusual rashes may have been misdiagnosed, allowing the virus to spread unnoticed.

If your child develops these symptoms, especially blisters on the face and body alongside fever, do not assume it is just measles. Go to a hospital and ask specifically for monkeypox testing.

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Why Children and Newborns Are Most at Risk

One of the most disturbing aspects of the Pakistan outbreak is that newborns and young children are dying.

Monkeypox previously appeared mainly in adults. But doctors at Aga Khan University Hospital confirmed that the virus now affects infants and newborns in Pakistan  a first for the country.

Dr Fatima Mir explained that babies can get infected through cross-contamination in hospital wards. A newborn placed near an infected patient, or handled with unwashed hands, can contract the virus before leaving the hospital.

Children with malnutrition, weak immune systems, or other existing illnesses like measles face the highest risk of death from monkeypox. The Khairpur deaths reflect this tragic combination  a rural area with limited healthcare access, malnutrition among children, and inadequate hospital infection control.

What Pakistan Recorded Before April 2026

This outbreak did not come out of nowhere. Here is Pakistan’s monkeypox history in brief:

• April 2023: Pakistan confirmed its very first monkeypox case  a 25-year-old man who returned from Saudi Arabia to Islamabad
• 2024: More travel-linked cases began appearing, including in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi
• 2025: Pakistan recorded 53 confirmed cases, most linked to international travel
• Early 2026: KP reported 26 cases in just the first few months, already half of all 2025 cases
• April 2026: The Khairpur deaths and the second Karachi case confirmed that local transmission is now happening

Pakistan recorded 53 confirmed mpox cases in 2025, the majority travel-related. In 2026, that pattern seems to have changed. One of the two cases confirmed in Karachi this year points to possible local transmission, while the Khairpur outbreak suggests the virus has entered healthcare settings, exposing critical gaps in infection prevention and control beyond major urban centres.

This is the shift doctors feared. The virus is no longer just arriving at airports. It is spreading in hospitals and communities.

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What Doctors Are Demanding the Government Do Now

Medical experts at Aga Khan University Hospital made strong public demands at a media roundtable on April 8, 2026. Their message was direct and urgent.

They are asking for:

1. Strict infection prevention in all hospitals. No more placing multiple patients on single beds. No admitting new patients without disinfection. Gloves and masks for anyone caring for a suspected case.

2. Immediate isolation of all suspected cases. Anyone showing symptoms must go into isolation the moment they arrive at a hospital, not after confirmation.

3. Transparent reporting of test results. The government must release all test results publicly. Hiding data allows the virus to spread without a proper response.

4. Rapid case detection beyond cities. Rural areas like Thari Mirwah in Khairpur do not have the same diagnostic capacity as Karachi or Islamabad. The government must deploy testing teams to districts immediately.

5. Public awareness campaigns. Millions of Pakistanis still do not know the difference between monkeypox and measles. A national awareness campaign could save lives.

What Should You Do Right Now?

Whether you live in Karachi, Sindh, or anywhere else in Pakistan, here is practical advice:

If you or your child shows symptoms:

• Isolate immediately at home. Do not go to a crowded clinic or hospital without calling ahead first.
• Call the government helpline numbers set up in Sukkur, Khairpur, and Ghotki districts.
• Tell the doctor specifically about monkeypox; do not let them assume it is just chickenpox or measles.

If someone in your family is infected:

• Wear gloves and a mask when caring for them.
• Wash all clothing and bedding separately with hot water.
• Disinfect all shared surfaces, door handles, bathroom, and kitchen counters.
• Keep infected persons away from newborns and young children completely.

At hospitals and clinics:

• Ask whether the facility has set up a monkeypox response unit.
• Do not allow your newborn to share a ward with other patients if possible.
• Demand clean surfaces and gloves from healthcare workers handling your child.

Contact numbers: The Commissioner’s office and health authorities in Sukkur Division have set up helplines. Contact your local DHO for the current numbers.

Verified Insights Pakistan’s View

Pakistan faces a real monkeypox threat right now, and the government’s response has been mixed at best.

The good news is that response units are being set up, doctors from Islamabad travelled to Khairpur quickly, and the WHO is offering vaccines. The Sindh Health Department moved faster than expected.

But there are serious gaps. Test results are not fully public. Rural healthcare facilities in areas like Thari Mirwah simply do not have the tools to handle this virus. And most worryingly, the virus is now spreading locally, meaning containment is now much harder than when it was arriving only from abroad.

Pakistan cannot afford another COVID-style delay where warnings go unheard for weeks. Seven children have already died. More cases are appearing in Karachi without any travel link. The window to contain this is small and closing fast.

The government must release all test data transparently, launch a public education campaign immediately, and deploy diagnostic capacity to every district in Sindh without delay. Waiting costs lives.

Conclusion

Seven children are dead. A virus that experts once called “travel-related” is now spreading person to person in Pakistan’s own communities and hospitals.

Karachi’s second case, a young man with zero travel history, proves that monkeypox is no longer a distant problem. It is here. It is local. And it is dangerous, especially for children, newborns, and anyone with a weak immune system.

Know the symptoms. Know how it spreads. Isolate quickly if you see signs. Demand proper care at hospitals. And share this information with your family and neighbours because awareness right now is the most powerful tool Pakistan has.

The doctors have warned us. Now we must listen.

Related Reading on Verified Insights Pakistan

• Petrol Price Drop in Pakistan: PM Shehbaz Orders Immediate Relief
• Pakistan Brokers Historic US-Iran Ceasefire
• Why Are Pakistan and Afghanistan Fighting?

External Sources

• The Express Tribune: Mpox Cases Detected in Newborns
• The News: WHO Offers Vaccine as Mpox Cases Increase in Khairpur
• AKUH: Mpox Reaches Local Transmission in Pakistan

Disclaimer: This article is based on verified information from ARY News, The Express Tribune, The News International, Pakistan Today, Aga Khan University Hospital official statements, and other credible Pakistani news and medical sources. All case numbers and death figures reflect reports available as of April 9, 2026. The health situation is rapidly evolving. Always contact your local District Health Officer or the nearest government hospital for the most current guidance. The information in this article does not replace professional medical advice. If you or a family member shows symptoms of monkeypox, contact a healthcare provider immediately.

⚠️ If you are experiencing mental distress related to health fears, please speak to a trusted person or contact a health professional for support.