Two additional cases of Mpox have been confirmed this week bringing the total number of infections to 22 since the first case was reported in May this year. The death toll remains at three. 

STAY VIGILANT

In a statement the Department of Health, urged the public to be vigilant and not let their guard down when it comes to Mpox.

"The Department calls for the public to maintain vigilance and never lower their guard against Mpox disease, as the country remains on high alert for a possible surge," the statement read. The latest case involves a 40-year-old man who was diagnosed at a private health facility in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, on 6 July 2024. 

"The patient is from Johannesburg, Gauteng, but travelled to Durban over the past weekend, where an Mpox-like rash developed," the department explained. 

The other case involved a 26-year-old man from Nquthu in KwaZulu-Natal who presented an Mpox-like rash at a local hospital.

"Both new cases self-identified as MSM (men who have sex with men) with no international but local travel history."

VISIT YOUR CLINICS 

The department said people who experience any of the Mpox symptoms, with or without an international travel history, to present themselves to a health facility for clinical observation and confine themselves to one place until their test results are available. Some of the common symptoms of Mpox include a rash, which may last for two to four weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands.

"We urge all the identified and suspected contacts to cooperate with health officials during contact tracing for screening and possible diagnosis to prevent further transmission of this preventable and treatable disease."