A fourth case of monkeypox in SA has been identified in the Western Cape.
On Monday afternoon health minister Joe Phaahla announced a 28-year-old man had been diagnosed with the virus.
The patient had returned to SA after a trip to Spain in the second week of August.
The national health department said a polymerase chain reaction test was performed in a private pathology laboratory and the samples were submitted to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases for sequencing analysis.
“Public health response measures to prevent the spread of the infection, including contact tracing, have been instituted,” it said.
“The fourth case follows three unlinked laboratory-confirmed cases that were reported from Gauteng, Western Cape and Limpopo provinces. These cases were reported in males aged 30, 32 and 42, who have since completed self-isolation and monitoring period without reported further symptoms and health complications.”
According to the department, Phaahla will provide more details on the government’s response to monkeypox during a planned media briefing on Friday.
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Fourth case of monkeypox identified in Western Cape
Image: Bloomberg
A fourth case of monkeypox in SA has been identified in the Western Cape.
On Monday afternoon health minister Joe Phaahla announced a 28-year-old man had been diagnosed with the virus.
The patient had returned to SA after a trip to Spain in the second week of August.
The national health department said a polymerase chain reaction test was performed in a private pathology laboratory and the samples were submitted to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases for sequencing analysis.
“Public health response measures to prevent the spread of the infection, including contact tracing, have been instituted,” it said.
“The fourth case follows three unlinked laboratory-confirmed cases that were reported from Gauteng, Western Cape and Limpopo provinces. These cases were reported in males aged 30, 32 and 42, who have since completed self-isolation and monitoring period without reported further symptoms and health complications.”
According to the department, Phaahla will provide more details on the government’s response to monkeypox during a planned media briefing on Friday.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
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