Mpox in Karachi: toddler dies at NIPA infectious diseases hospital, Sindh deaths reach 12

A toddler from Malir, Karachi, has died of mpox (monkeypox) at the Government Infectious Diseases Hospital at NIPA, taking Sindh's mpox deaths this year to 12, ARY News reported on Saturday, citing a hospital spokesperson. Sindh has reported 98 mpox cases so far this year.

The child had been moved a few days earlier from a private hospital to the government infectious diseases hospital and died during treatment, the spokesperson said. Following recommendations from the Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC), the private hospital where the child was first admitted has been sealed; ARY cited unnamed sources alleging that the infection was caught through negligence there. That allegation has not been confirmed officially.

Mpox in Pakistan this year

• Sindh: 98 cases and 12 deaths in 2026, according to the figures ARY reported.
• Islamabad: a confirmed case was being treated at PIMS last month, as we reported in September.

What mpox is and what to watch for

Mpox is a viral infection that spreads through close contact with an infected person (skin to skin, face to face, or contaminated bedding and towels). The World Health Organization lists the common signs as a rash or sores that can last two to four weeks, with fever, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, low energy and swollen lymph nodes. Young children, pregnant women and people with weak immunity are at higher risk of serious illness.

What to do

• See a doctor quickly if a child or adult develops an unexplained rash with fever, and mention any contact with someone who had sores.
• Keep a sick person's towels, bedding and utensils separate and wash hands often.
• In Karachi, suspected cases have been treated at the Government Infectious Diseases Hospital at NIPA.

Hospitals near you are listed in our Karachi hospitals directory.