Mpox Outbreak in Sindh, Pakistan: Newborn Cases and Child Deaths Reported

Health authorities in Pakistan’s Sindh province are responding to the country’s first local outbreak of mpox after the virus was detected in a cluster of newborns in the Khairpur district. The outbreak has led to the closure of neonatal units and the intensification of containment measures to prevent further spread.

The situation came to light on March 14, 2026, when healthcare providers reported unusual skin lesions and rashes among infants in the region. Subsequent laboratory investigations conducted by the Aga Khan University and the Dow University of Health Sciences confirmed the presence of the mpox virus in the affected children.

Casualties and Medical Findings

Seven newborn children have died in Khairpur. Laboratory tests confirmed that four of these seven infants were infected with mpox. Despite the presence of the virus, the Sindh Health Department has stated that the deaths were not directly caused by mpox.

A medical review concluded that the deceased infants were critically vulnerable at birth. Health officials attributed the fatalities to underlying medical complications, including prematurity, low birth weight and severe malnutrition.

All children who died were premature, too weak and had low birth weight. They were already suffering health complications caused by malnutrition

Sindh Health Department

Dr. Ahmed Sheikh, a spokesperson for the health department, noted that the infected infants had been admitted to two hospitals in Khairpur presenting with fever, flu-like symptoms, and painful lesions.

Transmission and Healthcare Lapses

The outbreak is being treated as a significant public health event because it represents the first local outbreak of this zoonotic viral infection within Pakistan. Mpox typically spreads through close contact with infected humans or animals.

Investigations conducted by the Sindh Healthcare Commission and provincial health authorities have identified serious lapses in infection prevention and control at healthcare facilities. Officials suspect that two specific paediatric facilities in Khairpur served as the key sites where the infection spread among the neonates.

Containment and Response

In response to the cluster of infections and deaths, Pakistani health authorities have taken the following steps:

• Shutting down neonatal units in affected areas to prevent further transmission.
• Launching contact tracing efforts to identify other potentially exposed individuals.
• Increasing containment measures and monitoring within the Sindh province.
• Utilizing specialized laboratories at Dow University and Aga Khan University for diagnostic confirmation.

The discovery of the virus in seven newborns, as reported by some sources, indicates a wider spread among the neonatal population in the district than initially suspected. Earlier reports had only confirmed the virus in three out of eight tested samples.