The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness expects that more mpox cases could be identified as contact tracing continues following two social gatherings linked to a cluster in Cape Town.
Speaking to VOC News, the department’s Chief Operating Officer, Dr Saadiq Karriem, said 13 of the province’s cases had been identified since mid-August and were linked to the two gatherings.
“We were able to pick up a number of other people and tested them for mpox,” Karriem said.
The latest National Institute for Communicable Diseases data shows that 21 mpox cases had been confirmed in South Africa by 18 September, with 17 reported in the Western Cape.
Karriem said most cases have been mild and patients have been able to self-isolate at home. He said mpox spreads mainly through close physical contact, including contact with lesions, as well as contaminated clothing, bedding and other materials.
“Most mpox cases are mild. They’ve been self-isolating at home where possible,” he said.
Symptoms can include fever, headaches, muscle aches and swollen glands, followed by a rash or lesions that can appear on different parts of the body.
Karriem said contact tracing is continuing, with health authorities working with the City of Cape Town, the NICD, the National Department of Health and the World Health Organisation to monitor cases and prevent further transmission.
“Out of these cluster events, we’ll probably have a few more cases,” he said
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