Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has asked for calm after the outbreak of M-Pox in two provinces. Dr Phaahla says they are working around the clock to obtain vaccines while monitoring the situation.
He says five patients have been diagnosed with the disease so far, of which one has died. Two of the five cases of M-Pox disease were recorded in Gauteng and three in KwaZulu-Natal.
The Department of Health says the disease spreads mostly among “men who have sex with other men”.
Phaahla says two patients have been discharged from the hospital, while two others are still receiving medical attention.
“The death that occurred is amongst the two cases in Gauteng. This patient passed away on Monday, the 10th of June at the Tembisa Hospital. All cases and all the patients are males aged between 30 and 39 years without any travel history to other countries, which are experiencing the outbreak. So, this then to us says that we do have local transmission.”
Transmission
An official from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, Dr Jaquiline Weyer, says the virus transmits from one person to another through close contact.
“So, the rate that M-Pox spread is much different from COVID-19 and although we have seen multi-country outbreak, it’s far from the state that we saw in COVID-19 or other respiratory diseases like influenza. It should theoretically be easily contained compared to something like COVID-19,” says Weyer.
Vaccines
The government is weighing its options on obtaining vaccines to curb the spread of the disease.
World Health Organisation Spokesperson, Ndenzako Fabian, says symptoms include rash, headache and body aches.
He says they are also working around the clock to secure more treatment drugs.
“We are working very closely with the ministry team and the other partners to make sure that as much as possible or as soon as possible, we make sure that the drug is available to the patients. As we speak, ten doses have been packed waiting shipment from Geneva to here. So, we are working with the team to make sure the paperwork is actually done to make sure that this shipment can actually be available but also more other doses to be ready,” he says.
Phaahla has encouraged people who may have been in contact with anyone with the disease and those who present symptoms of skin lesions and rashes to approach their nearest health facilities
“So, we would want to encourage people those who may have come into contact with the patients who may have been diagnosed, please not to hesitate to come forward for testing. This disease can be treated.”
Phaahla has asked for calm after the outbreak saying an anti-viral agent has been recommended as treatment for the virus.
