Islamabad, Jul 25 (IANS): The Border and Health Services Pakistan has been "strictly" monitoring the entry routes to the country after the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the monkeypox outbreak an international public health emergency, the Pakistani Health Ministry said.

Minister for National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination Abdul Qadir Patel instructed the relevant federal and provincial authorities to take necessary steps to barricade the outbreak of the disease in the country, the ministry was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The entry points of Pakistan are getting monitored on scientific grounds, especially the screening of passengers coming from African countries is being under strict implementation, according to the Health Minister.

The ministry said that no case of monkeypox has so far been reported in the South Asian country.

Patel said that the government has ensured the implementation of International Health Regulations in the country, adding that the preventive guidelines of the WHO are being strongly followed.

"Concrete steps are being taken for the capacity building of the health workers," said the Health Minister.