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South Africa has reported a case of monkeypox – the second non-endemic country in Africa after Morocco to do so.
South Africa has reported a case of monkeypox – the second non-endemic country in Africa after Morocco to do so.
South Africa’s National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has confirmed that the case identified involves a 30-year-old from the Gauteng province.
Scientists are clueless about the recent rise in monkeypox cases around the world that are not linked to travel to the African countries where it is endemic.
Monkeypox, a mild viral infection, usually occurs in remote areas near tropical rainforests in the west and central Africa where animals such as infected rodents, rats, and squirrels can pass on the virus to humans.
https://trendsnafrica.com/who-cautions-africa-to-tighten-preparedness/
https://trendsnafrica.com/who-projects-alarming-surge-of-covid-19-cases-in-africa/
It can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person. The virus can enter the body through broken skin, the respiratory tract, or through the eyes, nose, or mouth. Those infected in the UK have been advised to avoid having sex while they have symptoms.
According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC), there has been a significant increase in the spread of the monkeypox virus on the continent.
Dr Ahmed Ogwell, acting director of Africa CDC, said there had been a 38% increase in suspected cases and a 12% increase in confirmed cases of monkeypox in the past week.
Cases documented in Africa from January 2022:
- 1,642 cases of monkeypox (1,571 suspected and 71 confirmed)
- 73 deaths linked to monkeypox.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is expected to make an important announcement on whether to declare monkeypox a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO is also working towards renaming the virus in order to reduce to stigmatisation associated with it and its link to Africa.
