By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Health MEC Dr Phophi Ramathuba has confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Limpopo.
Ramathuba said the case has been confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases.
“The confirmed case is that of a 42 –year-old male tourist from Switzerland who is holidaying in the province,” She said.
It said the case presented with signs and symptoms such as rash, muscle ache and fatigue.
“We are calling for calm. We can confirm that the case is an outpatient, currently isolating and requires no admission,” Ramathuba said.
Ramathuba said the department has already sent officials to attend to the case. “Three contacts have been identified and none of them have showed any symptoms thus far,” she explained.
According to the latest World Health Organisation’s latest epidemiological update, from 1 January to 4 July 2022, 6 027 laboratory-confirmed cases of monkeypox and three deaths have been reported to WHO from 59 countries in five WHO regions.
“The clinical presentation of monkeypox cases associated with this outbreak has been atypical, as many cases in newly-affected areas are not presenting with the classically described clinical picture for monkeypox, that is, fever, swollen lymph nodes, followed by a centrifugal rash,” said the WHO.
The virus is transmitted through person-to-person close, direct contact with an infected person or contaminated materials such as bed linen, clothes and other household items.
It is also noted that the disease is rarely fatal. Cases can resolve within two to four weeks, while isolation of cases is recommended to limit the spread of infection.
The virus is said to be not highly transmissible, unlike influenza or the SARS-CoV-2.