By: Natasha Archary

Health Minister Joe Phaala has confirmed the first death from the Monkeypox outbreak, also known as Mpox.
This comes after two other instances of mpox were discovered this week at the Addington and St. Augustine Hospitals in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD).
Five laboratory-confirmed infections have been reported nationwide as a result of this, with three occurring in KwaZulu-Natal and two in Gauteng.
All of the patients are male South Africans in their mid-to late-30s, without any travel history to countries experiencing the outbreak.
Point of View with Phemelo Motene spoke to Sbongisendi Dhlomo – Deputy Health Minister.
Listen to the full conversation here:
This means all 5 cases in South Africa is locally transmitted and was not imported cases.
On Monday, 10 June a patient from Tembisa Hospital, Gauteng died from the Mpox disease, which was announced as a global outbreak in 2022.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), from January through to end of April this year, a total of just over 97 000 Mpox cases has been recorded worldwide, of this there were 187 fatalities.
A total of 528 new cases were confirmed globally in April 2024, with the most affected regions being America, Africa, Europe, Asia.
Phaala said South Africa is trying to source vaccines from WHO member countries that have stockpiles which exceeds their needs as well from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
The vaccines will be stored and distributed from provincial depots.
Mpox is transmitted from person to person by close contact, sexual contact, bodily fluids, respiratory fluids and contaminated meat.
Breakdown of Mpox cases in SA. The patient from Tembisa passed away on Monday. pic.twitter.com/qJKz5jvNkk
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) June 12, 2024

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