Health authorities in Karachi shut down a private medical facility after a 20-day-old infant contracted mpox, likely due to dirty tools used during a circumcision procedure, according to official statements.
The infection was found in the baby at Ibne Hassan Hospital, located in Malir 15 under the Saudabad Police Station area.
Mustafa Jatoi, who serves as the spokesperson for the Sindh Healthcare Commission, stated that authorities shut down the facility based on an evaluation report from the District Health Officer of Korangi that cited broken medical rules.
Swab samples tested at Dow University confirmed the infant had the mpox virus. Officials believe contaminated scissors used in the circumcision caused the infection.
The commission noted that the facility ran without legal authorization, employing untrained personnel and quacks to carry out procedures like circumcisions. Bad sanitation, weak infection control protocols, and other issues created major risks for public health and patient safety.
Commission workers met pushback from facility employees during the shutdown. Police forces, including the senior superintendent of police and local officers, along with the District Health Officer of Korangi, managed to secure the area so officials could close it down.
Relatives of the baby, who live in Landhi, reported that he grew a fever and heavy rashes over his body. His relatives first visited neighborhood clinics in Landhi and Korangi before doctors sent him to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital and Research Centre.
The infant stays in stable shape although he remains restless.
Another infant, aged 40 days, tested positive for mpox last week and received care at the same infectious diseases center.
A senior physician explained that this earlier baby grew a fever and body rashes before his parents brought him to a private clinic that later sent him to the specialized facility.
