The number of Mpox cases in South Africa has risen to seven with the latest case confirmed at a private hospital in Cape Town.
Three provinces are now affected by the M-pox outbreak with two deaths recorded in Gauteng and Kwazulu Natal respectively.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health Foster Mohale says almost all cases are patients living with HIV.
He says the latest confirmed case is a 39-year-old man who tested positive for Mpox on Thursday presenting with severe lesions on his skin.
All positive cases are men in their thirties.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla said they are looking into obtaining vaccines with the help of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the South African Health and The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
He said vaccines will be sourced from other African countries that have extra stock.
The Department said sex workers, men who have sex with men and laboratory and health workers will be the first to receive the vaccine.
The patients who tested positive this week both gave their residential address as Northcliff in Gauteng.
DEATHS
The first patient who died was a 39-year-old man who succumbed in the Thembisa Hospital while the second death was recorded in KwaZulu Natal.
Mpox is a preventable and treatable disease if diagnosed early.
People are urged to avoid physical contact with someone with Mpox and practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.
Diagnosed cases/patients should where possible, avoid contact with immunocompromised people, children or pregnant women who may be at higher risk of severe symptoms if exposed.
Mohale says results for the first three cases sequenced a type as clade ll b, the same as the sub-lineage responsible for the multi-country outbreak which began in 2022 and has since spread to over 100 countries.
Minister Phaahla reiterates the importance of personal hygiene, timely presenting at the health facility for early diagnosis and effective treatment in case of suspected symptoms and close physical contact with a known case.
TREATMENT
Currently, there is no registered treatment for Mpox in South Africa. However, the WHO recommends using Tecovirimat (TPOXX) for severe cases.
The Department has obtained Tecovirimat via Section 21 SAPHRA approval on a compassionate use basis for the five known patients with severe disease.
