Health Minister Joe Phaahla Confirms 2nd Monkeypox Death
- Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla confirmed South Africa's second Monkeypox-related death, a 38-year-old male from Brakpan, Gauteng, who died in KwaZulu-Natal
- This brings the total number of Mpox cases in the country to six, with two fatalities reported within five weeks
- Phaahla emphasised the importance of personal hygiene and early medical consultations
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Reitumetse Makwea, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Pretoria, South Africa, has covered court and crime-related news at The Citizen and Rekord Noweto for over five years.
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Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla has confirmed a new case and the second death linked to Monkeypox in South Africa.
The latest patient, a 38-year-old male from Brakpan, Gauteng, was admitted to a hospital in uMgungundlovu, KwaZulu-Natal, presenting with severe symptoms, including extensive lesions and swelling of the lymph nodes.
He tested positive for Mpox on 12 June 2024 and tragically passed away the same day.
Health Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the patient tested positive for Mpox after presenting with extensive lesions.
"Headache, fatigue, oral ulcers, muscle pain and sore throat. The patient has, unfortunately, passed away in KZN on the same day his test results came back positive."
See the post on what to look out for on the National Institute for Communicable Diseases X page:
Six Monkeypox cases have been recorded so far
This recent case brings the total number of Mpox infections in the country to six, with two fatalities reported within five weeks.
The department confirmed the first death yesterday in Tembisa, Gauteng.
In a statement, the department said the patient was also living with HIV, which may have contributed to the severity of his symptoms.
The Department of Health is conducting a thorough investigation in collaboration with the Gauteng and KZN health departments.
Importance of self-hygiene during this time
Phaahla reiterated the importance of personal hygiene, timely medical consultations and avoiding close contact with infected individuals to curb the spread of Mpox following the recent outbreak.
He stressed that the disease is preventable and treatable if diagnosed early, urging the public to adhere to health guidelines and seek medical attention if symptoms appear.
The Department of Health will provide ongoing information as the investigation progresses.
Department of Health considering sourcing Mpox vaccine from WHO
Briefly News previously reported that the Department of Health is thinking of obtaining a vaccine for the Mpox outbreak, which has already claimed five lives.
Phaahla announced that the country is attempting to source vaccines from the World Health Organization. South Africans were against Phaahla, and many slammed him on social media, with some rejecting the vaccine.
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Source: Briefly News
