One day after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the monkeypox outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern”, Pakistan yesterday reported this year’s first case of the virus diagnosed in a man from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after the patient recently returned from Saudi Arabia.
Consequently, the health ministry has ordered the Border Health Services to strictly monitor all entry points.
In the past year, Pakistan has confirmed nine cases of Mpox, all among travellers returning from the Middle East and other countries.
WHO officials confirmed the first infection with a new strain of the mpox virus in Sweden, linking it to a growing outbreak in Africa.
There have been 27,000 cases and more than 1,100 deaths, mainly among children, in Congo since the current outbreak began in January 2023.
Authorities have destroyed dengue larvae found in 1,555 locations in Lahore during the past 24 hours.
According to reports, monsoon rains and changing weather have accelerated the spread of dengue. During this period, dengue larvae were discovered at over 1,500 sites, leading to 1,460 notices being issued.
Samaa News reports that according to the Deputy Commissioner of Lahore, Rafia Haider, 95 cases have been filed for violations of SOPs.
Authorities have issued notices to 47,539 individuals and registered 2,360 cases for serious SOP violations so far this year.
Former Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) leader Asad Umar has been shifted to a hospital on Tuesday after he experienced pain in the chest while attending a hearing in an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore.
Umar’s lawyer said his client felt chest pain in the courtroom, after which he was shifted to the hospital.
Doctors conducted an ECG which turned out to be normal.
Doctors determined that the former Finance Minister’s blood pressure dropped after he took hypertension medicine on an empty stomach, Geo News has said.
A video has surfaced on social media where people can be seen carrying him to the vehicle.
Umar faces multiple cases in relation to the May 9 riots, including incitement to vandalism, and the cypher case.
On November 11, 2023, the ex-secretary general of PTI resigned from party membership and withdrew from politics, citing disagreement with the party’s aggressive approach towards state institutions.
Approximately 3,000 parents have been reported to have refused polio vaccination so far in Balochistan.
July 7 marked the conclusion of a seven-day polio prevention campaign. It has been claimed that 98 per cent of the target for the anti-polio campaign has been achieved in 16 districts.
The campaign aimed to vaccinate more than 951,000 children against polio.
The federal government has established targets to reduce population growth as part of its five-year plan. According to sources, the goal is to decrease the annual population growth rate to 1.1 percent by 2030.
Sources within the Ministry of Planning indicate that the population growth rate was 2.55 percent according to the 2023 census. The new target aims to lower the total fertility rate to 2.2 percent by 2030.
In the fiscal year 2024, the total fertility rate was reported at 3.32 percent, as stated by Ministry of Planning sources.
Additionally, Ministry of Planning sources report that the adoption rate of modern contraceptive methods was 39.36 percent in fiscal year 2024. The target is to increase this rate to 60 percent by 2030.
It’s reported that 2.5 million intentional abortions in Pakistan annually result from the lack of adoption of modern contraceptive methods.
According to the 2023 census, Pakistan’s population reached 24,149,000. The Prime Minister approved the Ministry of Planning’s plan during the NEC meeting.
Actor and model Feroze Khan has been in the spotlight for his recent marriage to Zainab. He shared photos of the event on social media accounts and also updated fans on his father’s health. In a deeply emotional moment, he shared a photo with his hospitalized father, reaching out to his fans, seeking their prayers for his father’s health.
“Say a prayer for my father as he is battling with serious health issues. Hold your parents really closely till they are still around. The life is too short to love them enough. Hearing his heart beat is another high,” he wrote on Instagram. Here is the story shared by Feroze Khan:
The administration of Civil Hospital in Karachi has reported the death of eight patients due to severe dehydration among 40 to 45 heat-affected individuals brought to the emergency room. The deceased suffered from co-morbidities such as epilepsy, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department has forecasted intense heat for the next two days in Karachi. Health experts have advised citizens to avoid direct sunlight, stay hydrated, and wear light-coloured, loose clothing.
For the second consecutive day, Karachi experienced scorching temperatures in to the absence of sea breezes during the day, leading to severe heat discomfort among residents.
Additionally, rescue sources reported the discovery of seven bodies of drug addicts from various parts of the city today, bringing the total to 17 deaths in the last two days.
Temperatures soared to 42 degrees Celsius, with the ‘Feels Like’ at 50 degrees in some areas such as Gulistan Johar where apartments recorded 43.7 degrees Celsius.
Furthermore, water supply disruptions were reported across Karachi during the heatwave. Areas like Federal B Area Blocks 19 and 20, as well as Kharadar, faced water shortages. Protests erupted in Baldia Naval Colony and Musa Colony due to the lack of water and electricity.
New reports reveal that 15 medical and dental colleges across Pakistan have illegally admitted students.
According to officials from the federal health ministry, last year, the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) had barred admissions to 15 medical and dental colleges, where over 1200 students are currently enrolled.
Officials reported that despite warnings from the PMDC, these colleges granted illegal admissions to students. Previously, 15 medical colleges had received partial approval from the former Pakistan Medical Commission, while charging students fees and other expenses totaling over one billion.
The colleges in question are located in Karachi, Sanghar, Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Peshawar. The FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) is currently investigating 18 medical and dental colleges implicated in the admissions scandal.
Catherine, Princess of Wales, on Saturday made a tentative return to public life for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer, attending a military parade in central London to mark Britain’s King Charles III’s official birthday.
Kate, as she is widely known, rode in a carriage alongside her three children at the outset of the annual celebration before disembarking to watch proceedings from a viewing point.
It comes nearly three months after the future queen revealed she was receiving chemotherapy treatment. The 42-year-old princess had not been seen at a public engagement since a Christmas Day service last year.
In a Friday evening statement Kate said she was “making good progress” with her treatment, which is set to last for several more months, but was “not out of the woods yet”.
“I’m looking forward to attending the King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer,” the princess said.
Kate’s announcement that she had cancer came just weeks after it was disclosed that her father-in-law, King Charles III, had also been diagnosed with the condition.
Neither has revealed what type of cancer they have.
British head of state Charles, 75, was given the green light to resume public duties in April, after doctors said they were “very encouraged” by his progress.
His first engagement was meeting staff and patients at a London cancer treatment centre.
Earlier this month, he attended commemoration events in northern France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
However, unlike previous years when he inspected troops on horseback at Trooping the Colour, Charles participated this year from a carriage, in full military regalia alongside Queen Camilla.
His elder son and heir William, 41, rode on horseback, also in military uniform.
Kate, wearing a white dress and hat, had been seen arriving by car at Buckingham Palace with William and their children ahead of the parade, which formally began at 11:00 am (1000 GMT).
Spectators on The Mall leading to Buckingham Palace to witness the yearly ceremonial event welcomed Kate’s tentative return to public appearances.
“I was so pleased to hear the news last night,” Angela Perry, a teacher in her 50s from Reading in central England, told AFP.
“She’s our future queen. She’s so important,” she added, calling Kate’s reemergence “reassuring”.
Royal officials will be keen to manage expectations about Kate’s gradual return to the public eye, and have maintained that her appearances will depend on her treatment and recovery.
Kate explained in her statement that she had “good days and bad days” and was “taking each day as it comes”.
After travelling with Prince George, aged 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and six-year-old Prince Louis in a state carriage to watch the parade from a building, the family were set to return to Buckingham Palace for a balcony appearance.
Trooping the Colour marks the British sovereign’s official birthday and is a minutely choreographed military tradition dating back more than two centuries.
It starts at Buckingham Palace and moves down The Mall to Horse Guards Parade, where Charles will receive a royal salute before inspecting soldiers.
Charles was actually born in November but the second birthday tradition dates back to King George II in 1748, who wanted to have a celebration in better weather as his own birthday was in October.
The ceremony has its origins in the preparations for war, where all regimental flags — or colours — were shown to the soldiers so that they would recognise them in the confusion of battle.
This year’s event will include three of five military horses that bolted through the streets of central London in April after being spooked by the noise of building construction.
London’s Metropolitan Police said it would mount a “significant” security operation and had been liaising with anti-monarchy group Republic, which kicked off protests at the event.
The force said it had banned “amplified sound” in and around the parade route on public safety grounds and to avoid disruption to the mounted regiments taking part.
Republic’s activists, who huddled on a section of The Mall alongside royalists, held aloft placards bearing slogans including “not my king” and “down with the crown”.
