A second person died from the Mpox virus on the same day he was admitted to a hospital after displaying symptoms.
The 38-year-old male patient tested positive for Mpox on Wednesday after presenting with extensive lesions, lymphadenopathy, headache, fatigue, oral ulcers, muscle pain and sore throat.
The patient presented himself to the hospital on the same day Health Minister Joe Phaahla briefed the media on the current outbreak in South Africa.
This brings the death toll to two, with one death each in Gauteng and KZN, while six laboratory cases were confirmed.
The latest patient was living with HIV and his residential address is listed as Brakpan in Gauteng.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health (DOH) Foster Mohale says the two provinces will work closely together to investigate the case and do contact tracing.
Mpox is a preventable and treatable disease if diagnosed early.
People are urged to avoid physical contact with someone with Mpox and 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.
Mohale says results for the first three cases sequenced a type as clade ll b, the same as the sub-lineage responsible for the multi-country outbreak which began in 2022 and 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.
TREATMENT
Currently, there is no registered treatment for Mpox in South Africa. However, the WHO recommends using Tecovirimat (TPOXX) for severe cases.
The Department has obtained Tecovirimat via Section 21 SAPHRA approval on a compassionate use basis for the five known patients with severe disease.
Three of the five cases had access to Tecovirimat treatment as advocated by the NICD.
The drug was obtained via Section 21 and the SAPHRA approval process, and donated by the WHO.
SAPHRA has since approved a request for a small stockpile of Tecovirimat which the WHO will support as a donation.
All patients are men between the ages of 30 and 39 with co-morbidities and a history of having sex with other men.
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