BY: Jubilant Cheyeza Baloyi
The South African Minister of Health Joe Phaahla on Monday urged the public to be vigilant as the country has reported a laboratory-confirmed case of monkeypox disease also known as Mpox from Ahmed Kathrada Hospital in region G.
The National Department of Health said the case involves a 35 year old male, who resides in Savana City, Sedibeng District in the Gauteng province and tested positive on May 9, 2024. The patient had no recent of history traveling.
“Both the national and Gauteng departments of health have been actively involved and are managing the situation as per protocol and national guidelines,” said Joe Phaahla .
The case was first tested by Lancet Laboratory, one of the leading pathology laboratories in the country, and then confirmed by the National Institute for Communication Disease (NICD), which then alerted the department. Department of Health spokesperson Foster Mohale advises the public to get treatment if
they experience symptoms of monkeypox. “We urge the public to seek treatment as soon as they see the symptoms of monkeypox”.
According to the department of health, Mpox is a rare viral infectious disease in human caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV). It can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals. It has increased in global public health significance and can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Mpox was declared public health emergency of international concern on 23 July 2022 by World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General.
The department further noted that Mpox presents with an acute illness characterized by fever and general flu-like symptoms, followed by eruption of a blister-like rash on the skin. The disease rarely fatal and cases typically resolve within two to four weeks and most cases do not require hospital treatment. The last time South Africa recorded a monkeypox was in August 2022 when there were cases across the globe.
