South Africa recorded a second positive case of Monkeypox from a 32-year-old man from Cape Town. The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) confirmed this on Tuesday. The first case was confirmed last week Thursday in Gauteng from a 30-year-old man with no history of travelling.
“The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the National Health Laboratory Service, confirms that a second case of Monkeypox has been identified through laboratory testing at the NICD on Tuesday, 28 June 2022. The case involves a 32-year-old male residing in the Western Cape Province.
“He reports on recent travel history. Contact tracing has commenced in order to identify any other related cases of Monkeypox in South Africa. Isolation of confirmed cases allows for the prevention of transmission and interruption of the cycle of transmission. Currently, it is not known if the first and second cases are linked,” said the NICD.
The heath department’s spokesperson, Foster Mohale, said Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla is calling on all South Africans to be vigilant. Mohale said the second infected person had no travelling history, which means there is a high possibility of local transmission.
“Although Monkeypox is less contagious than Smallpox and causes less severe illness, the situation slowly evolves with recorded cases. Phaahla urged the public to observe good hygiene practices, and other preventative measures, which proved effective against Covid-19, o prevent the spread of the virus.”
Mohale said no travel restriction have been recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Source: News24, Eyewitness News, image from Twitter
