The monkeypox outbreak, announced by the World Health Organisation recently, has brought fear and uncertainty to the nation as 145 cases have been confirmed globally.
But the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed that there are currently no cases of the disease in South Africa.
According to the NICD, about 16 countries have reported positive cases of monkeypox, including Australia, Austria, Sweden, the US, Canada, and the UK, among others. The NICD said four additional laboratory-confirmed cases were reported among sexual health services attendees presenting with a vesicular rash illness in men practising sex with men.
“Males accounted for more than 70%, mostly aged between 20-55 years have been detected through sexual health services. Most cases are mild and present with lesions on the genitalia or peri-genital areas. Additional symptoms include rash, fever, painful lymph nodes, and oral ulcers,” said the NICD in a statement.
NICD executive director, professor Adrian Puren, said the implications for South Africa are that the risk of importation of monkeypox is a reality as lessons learnt from Covid-19 have illustrated that outbreaks in another part of the world can fast become a global concern.
Puren further said residents and travellers to countries affected in the current outbreak should report any illness to a healthcare professional and avoid contact with sick animals that could harbour monkeypox virus such as rodents, marsupials, and primates, and should refrain from eating or handling wild game.
“This includes information about all recent travel and attendance of mass gathering events, festivals, and parties, and contact with any known cases. The importance of hand hygiene by using soap and water or alcohol-based sanitiser should be emphasised,” said Puren.
The NICD added that the monkeypox virus is generally a self-limiting illness, and most infected people recover within a few weeks without treatment.
Wondering how the #monkeypox virus is transmitted, what the signs and symptoms are, and how it can be treated and prevented? These are just a few of the frequently asked questions we tackle in this FAQ. Learn more about Monkeypox here: https://t.co/ym5baOyUdm
— NICD (@nicd_sa) May 24, 2022
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