South Africa has detected a fifth case of monkeypox, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said during a media briefing on Friday.
Phaahla told the media that the latest case was detected in Gauteng from a 28-year-old Johannesburg man said to have recently travelled to the Netherlands and Spain.
Phaahla said although monkeypox is less contagious than the smallpox and Covid-19, and causes less severe illness, the rising infections confirm that the positive cases are fast becoming a cause for concern.
“There is no link between the first four cases, while the team is trying to establish if there is a link between the fourth and fifth cases since both of them have been to the same country, Spain, which has so far recorded over 5 000 positive cases and two deaths,” said the minister.
He added that the World Health Organisation has not recommended any travel restrictions, but noted that it is crucial for people traveling to endemic countries to alert the health officials.
“Most people over the age of 40 will have some immunity to monkeypox from their smallpox vaccinations,” he added, confirming that there are 28 000 reported cases of monkeypox worldwide and 11 deaths so far.
“The scientists have advised that at the moment, there is no need for mass vaccination because the situation is under control.”
Phaahla further said that while there are three main vaccines used worldwide for the prevention of the disease, none of them are registered in South Africa.
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