The number of Mpox cases in South Africa has risen to 24, with two more laboratory-confirmed cases detected in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, the Department of Health confirmed on Sunday.
Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said Gauteng had the highest number of cases at 12, followed by KwaZulu-Natal with 11 and Western Cape with one.
“The 23rd case is a 36-year-old man from KwaZulu-Natal who was admitted to a public health facility in Durban in late July after developing an Mpox-like rash, along with fatigue, muscle pain and fever. The patient has no international travel history,” Mohale said in a statement.
The other case is of a man from Gauteng who reported to a private healthcare facility in Johannesburg on Friday with “typical Mpox lesions.”
He confirmed having international travel history to Peru in South America, although it is uncertain if the exposure occurred in Peru or South Africa.
The death toll linked to the Mpox cases remained at three, the same number that was reported last month.
The last reported case was in early July and 19 of the 22 patients initially reported had fully recovered, according to Mohale.
JN/APA