BAHAWALPUR: A suspected monkeypox (mpox) patient died at Bahawal Victoria Hospital (BVH) on Tuesday night, while his laboratory test results were still awaited.

According to hospital sources, the patient had been admitted to BVH a day earlier in a critical condition with suspected mpox and multiple other infections. Doctors immediately began treatment and sent his blood samples to a laboratory in Lahore for confirmation. However, the test results had not been received before his death.

BVH Medical Superintendent Dr Abdul Rehman Chandio told Dawn that the deceased, identified as Faraz Munir (40), a resident of Bahawalpur, had been brought to the hospital in a critical condition. He said the patient might have had a better chance of survival had he been shifted to BVH earlier.

Deputy Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Ali Arshad said the patient had chickenpox-like spots and was also suffering from several other infections.

According to him, the family had been treating him at home for nearly 15 days before bringing him to the hospital after his condition deteriorated.

He said the patient was admitted to the hospital’s isolation ward as a suspected mpox case. However, since the laboratory report was still pending, his death could not be officially attributed to monkeypox. He added that the exact cause of death remained under investigation and could have been linked to another infection or underlying illness.

Hospital sources said that if the laboratory report confirms mpox infection, it would be the first officially confirmed monkeypox-related death at BVH.

Earlier this year, BVH successfully treated six confirmed mpox patients. Among them was a staff nurse who contracted the virus while caring for the hospital’s first confirmed mpox patient in the isolation ward. She later recovered after prolonged treatment. Five other male patients also recovered and were discharged.

BAKERY BLAST: Another victim of last week’s gas cylinder blast at a bakery in Vehari died at the burn unit of Nishtar Hospital Multan (NHM) on Wednesday, raising the death toll to two.

According to Vehari police and Civil Defence officials, the deceased was identified as 23-year-old Ali Raza. He was among 14 people, including three children, who sustained severe burn injuries in the explosion and were shifted to NHM for treatment.

One injured person had earlier succumbed to burn injuries on Tuesday. Officials said four other patients remain in critical condition.

SUSPENDED: Vehari District Police Officer (DPO) Tassawar Iqbal has suspended a naib moharrar, Faisal Jatt, and constable Liaquat Dhadhi after they allegedly fought inside Sahooka police station on Tuesday.

According to police sources, the two officials first exchanged heated arguments over a minor issue before the altercation turned physical, with both allegedly slapping each other.

After receiving reports of the incident, the DPO suspended both officials, transferred them to the District Police Lines, and ordered a departmental inquiry into the matter.

Published in Dawn, July 23rd, 2026