Four new mpox cases have been reported in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, taking the provincial tally for 2026 to 18. The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa mpox cases include one woman and three men, and none of the four has a reported history of international travel.
Samples sent to the Public Health Reference Laboratory at Khyber Medical University confirmed the infections. Two patients are from Nowshera, one is from Peshawar and one is from Mardan. All four have been advised to isolate at home to stop further spread.
Health authorities have started tracing the contacts of the new patients. The absence of travel history matters. It points to local transmission rather than cases carried in from abroad, and it is the reason contact tracing has become the immediate priority.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa mpox cases: what the figures show
The health department says one patient has died and 13 have recovered from mpox in the province this year. The first case of the year was reported on January 9. The four new patients bring the total to 18, and all four are isolating at home while their contacts are checked.
That pattern sets Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa apart from the picture in Sindh. Feature Pakistan reported that the Sindh mpox tally reached 95 after two new cases in October, and that Sindh had recorded a 12th mpox death in the same period. The Sindh figures show a far larger outbreak, while the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa count has stayed small but steady through the year.
The province also reported a ban on health hiring earlier in October, which makes staffing for tracing and testing a live question for the health department. Contact tracing only works if teams can reach contacts quickly, check for symptoms and advise isolation before new chains form.
How mpox spreads and what to watch for
People with mpox can pass the disease to others until all sores have healed and a new layer of skin has formed. Some people can be infected without showing any symptoms at all.
Fever, muscle aches and a sore throat usually appear first. The rash then begins on the face and spreads over the body, reaching the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. It moves through stages over two to four weeks, from flat spots to raised bumps, blisters and pus-filled lesions. The lesions dip in the centre before crusting over, and the scabs then fall off.
Swollen lymph nodes are a classic feature of the disease. Children, pregnant people and people with weak immune systems face a higher risk of complications. In severe cases, the skin can become infected with bacteria, leading to abscesses or serious skin damage.
The global outbreak that began in 2022 was caused mostly by the Clade IIb virus. In just over half of cases in that outbreak, a rash appeared before or at the same time as other symptoms, and it did not always progress over the whole body. The first lesion could appear in the groin, anus or in or around the mouth.
What happens next
The next step is the result of the contact tracing now under way. If contacts are found early and advised to watch for symptoms and isolate, the four new cases may stay contained. If new cases appear among contacts, the provincial tally will rise again and the health department will face pressure to explain how local transmission is being tracked.
For residents of Nowshera, Peshawar and Mardan, the practical advice is unchanged. Anyone who develops fever with a new rash should seek medical advice promptly, avoid close contact with others and stay isolated until sores have fully healed. Health teams, for their part, need to publish updates on the tracing effort so the public can see whether the four cases are contained or spreading.
Source: The Express Tribune, “K-P reports four new mpox cases”, 28 October 2026, https://tribune.com.pk/story/2637348/k-p-reports-four-new-mpox-cases
Frequently asked questions
How many mpox cases has Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa reported in 2026?
The province has reported 18 cases this year, including four new cases from Nowshera, Peshawar and Mardan.
Do the new patients have a history of international travel?
No. The health department says none of the four new patients has a reported history of international travel.
How long is a person with mpox infectious?
A person remains infectious until all sores have healed and a new layer of skin has formed.
