The first case of Monkeypox has been recorded in Gauteng, South Africa.
According to a statement released by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), a division of the national health laboratory service has confirmed that a case of Monkeypox has been identified through laboratory testing at the NICD on Wednesday.
The group said that the case involves a 30-year-old man residing in Gauteng, with no reports of recent travel history.
“Contact tracing has commenced, identifying any additional linked cases of monkeypox in South Africa,” read the statement.
NICD added that Monkeypox is a rare viral infection in humans that has been reported in more than 3000 individuals in several European countries.
Minister of Health, Joe Phaahla, also said in a briefing, that Monkeypox is usually a mild disease manifesting as blisters on the skin and that it is usually mild and self-limiting with a fatality rate of 1%.
Meanwhile, NICD has said that this virus can be contracted when one is in close contact with an infected person or materials that have been contaminated by an infected person.
“This virus is not highly transmissible and close physical contact is required for transmission. It does not spread similarly to influenza or Covid- 19,” read the statement.
