2nd monkeypox death in South Africa
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NATIONAL NEWS - The second death linked to the monkeypox (also known as Mpox) outbreak in South Africa has been confirmed less than a day after the first death was made known to the public.
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla yesterday announced that one of the five patients in the country died on Monday at Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng.
This morning, the minister confirmed another laboratory-confirmed case of Mpox and a second death linked to the disease.
“The latest case/patient is a 38-year-old male patient who was admitted at a local hospital in uMgungundlovu, KZN, and tested positive for Mpox on Wednesday, after presenting with extensive lesions, lymphadenopathy, headache, fatigue, oral ulcers, muscle pain and sore throat,” his statement reads.
Phaahla adds the man passed away on the same day.
“This brings the total number of positive cases in the country from five to six, and two deaths within a period of five weeks. The patient was living with HIV, and he listed his residential address as Brakpan, Gauteng. The department is working closely with both Gauteng and KZN departments of health to investigate the case,” he explains.
The minister adds that the first three cases’ sequence (typed as clade ll b) is the same as the sub-lineage responsible for the multi-country outbreak in 2022. It has since spread to over 100 countries.
“Minister Phaahla reiterates the importance of personal hygiene, timely presenting at the health facility for early diagnosis and effective treatment in case of suspected symptoms and close physical contact with a known case. Mpox is a preventable and treatable disease if diagnosed early,” his statement reads.
It adds that physical contact should be avoided with someone who has the disease, and people are urged to practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
“Diagnosed cases/patients should, where possible, avoid contact with immunocompromised people, children or pregnant women who may be at higher risk of severe symptoms if exposed,” the statement concludes.
The disease
The World Health Organisation (WHO) states there are two genetic clades of the virus (clades I and II).
It says that the virus was discovered in Denmark in 1958 in monkeys kept for research. The first reported human case of Mpox was a nine-month-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1970.
“Mpox can spread from person to person or occasionally from animals to people. Following the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and the end of smallpox vaccination worldwide, Mpox steadily emerged in central, east and west Africa. A global outbreak occurred in 2022–2023. The natural reservoir of the virus is unknown – various small mammals such as squirrels and monkeys are susceptible.”
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