Cape Town - A Western Cape man who travelled to Spain has been diagnosed with Monkeypox, making this the fourth case recorded in South Africa.
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla made the announcement on Monday, saying the 28-year-old was identified through laboratory testing.
The patient has a travel history to Spain and returned to the country in the second week of August 2022.
“A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was performed in a private pathology laboratory. The samples were submitted to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) for sequencing analysis. Public health response measures to prevent the spread of the infection, including contact tracing have been instituted,” said Phaahla.
The fourth case follows three unlinked laboratory-confirmed Monkeypox cases that were reported in Gauteng, the Western Cape and Limpopo provinces respectively.
These cases were reported in men aged 30, 32 and 42, who have since completed self-isolation and a monitoring period without reported further symptoms or health complications.
Minister Phaahla said he is expecting to provide more details on the government's response to Monkeypox at a media briefing on Friday.
Last month the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a global health emergency.
The declaration was made by WHO director general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, following reports of more than 16 000 cases from 75 countries and five deaths.
Ghebreyesus made the announcement after experts serving on the UN health agency’s emergency committee were unable to reach a consensus on whether the Monkeypox outbreak constituted a public health emergency of international concern.
Cape Times