A recent development in South Africa has brought attention to a viral infection that is transmitted through close contact – Mpox, previously known as monkeypox. The country’s health minister, Joe Phaahla, announced that a 37-year-old man had died from the virus after being admitted to a hospital in Gauteng province three days earlier. All five cases recorded in the country this year were classified as severe and required hospitalization – including another case in Gauteng and three in KwaZulu-Natal.
The patients were men aged between 30 and 39 who had not visited other countries experiencing an outbreak, indicating local transmission of the disease. Initial symptoms of Mpox include fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, and aching muscles which can progress to a rash. Despite the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring a public health emergency over an Mpox outbreak in 2022, low levels of cases are still being reported in some countries.
Minister Phaahla emphasized the importance of seeking medical attention for anyone with suspected symptoms and helping trace contacts to prevent further spread of the disease. The five diagnosed patients in South Africa had pre-existing immuno-deficiencies and contracted the disease since the beginning of May. Two of the infected individuals have been discharged from the hospital, while two remain hospitalized. Those who had contact with the deceased patient will be monitored for 21 days to prevent further transmission. Mpox was first reported in humans in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970 and remains endemic there according to the WHO.
