The Department of Health said they have recorded three laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox (Mpox) in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng.
The first case was confirmed on February 21, 2025, in a 30-year-old male patient residing in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng with a recent travel history to Kampala, Uganda.
“The patient was diagnosed with Clade 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 other two cases, a 30-year-old male and a 27-year-old female, also from Ekurhuleni, were detected through contact tracing and monitoring conducted by outbreak response teams,” said department spokesperson Foster Mohale.
Mohale said these are the first positive cases of mpox recorded in South Africa this year, and the last case was recorded in September 2024.
He added that there was no need the public to panic; however, people are urged to remain cautious of how Mpox spreads and to seek help when faced with symptoms of Mpox.
“The symptoms include a rash which may last for two or four weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands. Mpox is typically a mild and self-limiting disease with a low case fatality rate. The risk of wider transmission remains low in South Africa, but anyone can contract Mpox regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation and race,” he said.
Meanwhile, the department has urged 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.
“The country has limited stock of Mpox specific vaccines for treatment of patients who experience severe health complications as a result of this disease.
“Safer sex and personal hygiene practices are amongst the most effective preventative methods to control further spread of the disease. People are therefore reminded to always wash hands with soap and water, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or after using the toilet,” he said.
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