First mpox Death Recorded In South Africa

Following five laboratory-confirmed occurrences of the viral infection in the previous month, a 37-year-old man has become South Africa’s first recorded fatality from mpox. Four more people are still receiving treatment, the health minister added on Wednesday after confirming the news. Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced at a press conference that the man passed away on Monday at Tembisa Hospital. “All cases/patients are males aged between 30-39 years without travel history to the countries currently experiencing an outbreak, which suggests there is local transmission of this infectious disease in the country,” added the minister.

Mumps causes pus-filled sores and flu-like symptoms that are spread by close contact. Although most occurrences are mild, it can be fatal. According to Phaahla, all of the mpox cases in South Africa are in men between the ages of 30 and 39 who have never traveled to any of the countries where the disease is now on the rise. This shows that the infection is spreading locally. The minister also mentioned that two patients were still being treated at the hospital and that one patient had been released for home isolation. Travelers to and from endemic countries should notify health officials of the situation, even though the WHO has not suggested any travel restrictions. This will allow health professionals to offer guidelines for case detection and management.