Monkeypox update: Man with travel history to Peru, one of two new cases

The National Department of Health called for ongoing public vigilance against the infectious monkeypox (mpox) disease as two more laboratory-confirmed cases have been detected in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

This brings the total number of cases to 24, of which:

• 12 were reported in Gauteng;
• 11 reported in KwaZulu-Natal; and
• One in the Western Cape.

So far, the infectious disease has claimed the lives of three people.

New monkeypox cases in Gauteng and KZN

Speaking on the most recent infections, the Health Department said in a statement that a 36-year-old man from Durban was admitted to a public health facility at the end of July.

“This was after he experienced monkeypox-like rash, along with fatigue and muscle pain. The patient has no international travel history,” said the department’s spokesperson Foster Mohale.

The second person, is a 20-year-old man from Johannesburg was seen at a private health facility in Johannesburg on Friday, 2 August 2024.

“The case presented with typical mpox lesions. He confirmed that he has international travel history to Peru in South America. It is uncertain if exposure occurred in Peru or South Africa.”

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Peru: High numbers of positive cases

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) multi-country mpox outbreak, Peru is rated among countries with high numbers of positive cases in the region of the Americas.

The Department of Health confirmed that contact tracing and monitoring activities are ongoing in the affected communities in both provinces.

Of the 22 cases recorded between 8 May and 6 July, 19 of them have fully recovered.

The department said another batch of WHO-donated Tecovirimat, an antiviral also known as TPOXX used to potentially treat mpox, had arrived.

What is monkeypox? Some key facts

According to the WHO, mpox is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.

• Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions which can last two to four weeks accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, and swollen lymph nodes.
• Mpox can be transmitted to humans through physical contact with someone who is infectious, with contaminated materials, or with infected animals.
• Laboratory confirmation of mpox is done by testing skin lesion material by PCR.
• Vaccines and therapeutics developed for smallpox can be used for mpox in some circumstances.
• In 2022 to 2023 a global outbreak of mpox was caused by a strain known as clade IIb.
• Mpox can be prevented by avoiding physical contact with an infected person. Vaccination can help prevent infection for people at risk.

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