Health Department on High Alert as Mpox Cases Climb to 22 | News24

Health department spokesperson Foster Mohale has expressed concerns over increasing Mpox cases. (Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)

• The health department is on high alert for a possible surge of Mpox.
• Two more laboratory-confirmed cases were recorded in KZN this week.
• Available scientific data suggests the disease is being transmitted from person-to-person.

The health department is on high alert for a possible surge of Mpox, with two more laboratory-confirmed cases recorded in KwaZulu-Natal this week.

The total number of positive cases has increased from 20 to 22 since the outbreak in May, with three deaths.

Spokesperson for the department, Foster Mohale, said the latest cases include a 40-year-old man who was diagnosed at a private health facility in Durban on 6 July.

“The patient is from Johannesburg but travelled to Durban over the past weekend, where [a] Mpox-like rash developed,” he said.

READ | Mpox cases expected to rise as health department intensifies contact tracing

Mohale said the other case was a 26-year-old man from Nqutu, KwaZulu-Natal, who presented with a Mpox-like rash to a local hospital.

“Both new cases self-identified as MSM [men having sex with men], with no international, but local travel history,” he said.

“Available scientific data suggests the disease is transmitting from person-to-person within the borders of the country. The department calls for the public to maintain vigilance and never lower their guard against Mpox disease.

“This is despite heightened public awareness and intensive contact tracing activities to curb the spread of the disease.”

Mohale urged people who experienced any Mpox symptoms, with or without international travel history, to present themselves to a health facility for clinical observation.

He said contact tracing and monitoring was ongoing in both provinces, especially among the close contacts of the patients. 

“We urge all the identified and suspected contacts to cooperate with health officials during contact tracing for screening and possible diagnosis to prevent further transmission of this preventable and treatable disease.”