The Department of Health has called on the public to take extra precaution as three new laboratory-confirmed cases of Mpox have been detected.
PICTURE: NICDAccording to the department, the first case, identified on
21 February 2025, involves a 30-year-old male residing in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng,
who recently travelled to Kampala, Uganda.
“The patient was diagnosed with Grade I Mpox virus, which
is currently circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and has
been reported in travellers returning to many locations around the globe,” the
statement read.
The other two confirmed cases - a 30-year-old male and a
27-year-old female, both from Ekurhuleni, were identified through thorough
contact tracing and monitoring efforts led by outbreak response teams.
‘’This highlights the importance of information sharing by
primary cases for contact tracing. All three cases are now recovering and
self-isolating at home.’’
The latest statistics bring the total cumulative number of
positive cases from 25 to 28 cases, including three deaths since the outbreak
in May last year.
Meanwhile, these are the first positive cases of Mpox
recorded in South Africa for 2025, after the last infection was reported in
September 2024.
‘’Globally, Mpox continues to be a Public Health Emergency
of International Concern (PHEIC) and a Public Health Emergency of Continental
Security (PHECS) as per the declarations by both the World Health Organisation
(WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in
August 2024. While the department assures that there is no need for public
alarm, it stressed the importance of remaining vigilant regarding the
transmission of Mpox,’’ read the statement.
Symptoms to watch for include a rash lasting two to four
weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and swollen glands. Generally,
Mpox presents as a mild, self-limiting disease with a low case fatality rate. The
department said the risk of widespread transmission in South Africa at this
time is considered low; however, the department said the disease can affect
individuals across all ages, genders, sexual orientations, and races.
“The department urges all people experiencing any of the
symptoms, with or without travel history to countries and regions experiencing
Mpox outbreaks, or who had close contact with known Mpox patients to seek
medical care. Although, the country has a limited stock of Mpox-specific
vaccines for the treatment of patients who experience severe health
complications as a result of this disease,” it said.
Residents were also reminded to practice handwashing with
soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitisers, especially before eating or
after using the restroom, to help mitigate the spread of the disease.
Done by: Mitchum George
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