Mpox Outbreak Under Control: Cabinet

The cabinet reassured South Africans that the Mpox outbreak is under control after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has labeled it a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS).

During a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni reported that South Africa recorded a total of 24 positive cases so far. Mpox cases in South Africa include three deaths, 19 recoveries, and two active cases currently in home isolation, SA News reported.

Ntshavheni reported that 12 cases were in Gauteng, 11 in KwaZulu-Natal, and one in the Western Cape. Cabinet urged the public to help prevent the spread of Mpox by staying vigilant and practicing good personal hygiene to stop further transmission.

The Minister also mentioned that Cabinet supports President Cyril Ramaphosa's call, in his role as the African Union (AU) Champion on Pandemic Prevention, for all partners to work closely with the Africa CDC.

This collaboration aims to ensure that the international community provides the necessary support, including fair access to medical treatments, diagnostics and vaccines.

The cabinet acknowledged significant progress in controlling foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the Kouga and Kou-Kamma Local Municipalities in the Eastern Cape with the last reported case occurring in mid-July.

Ntshavheni mentioned that animal movements in and out of the affected areas are still being closely watched to stop the disease from spreading to other regions. To move livestock from one location to another, a transport permit from a local state veterinary office is required, as part of the Disease Management Area's regulations.

"The 30 cattle farms that have tested positive for the disease have been placed under quarantine, and vaccination efforts continue to control the spread of infection and reduce the severity of clinical symptoms," the minister said.

She added, "Additionally, pre-emptive vaccination has been carried out on a further 37 farms identified as high risk due to their proximity to infected areas. In total, over 92 000 cattle and nearly 600 sheep across 67 farms have been vaccinated."

Last week, Ramaphosa expressed his concern about how fast Mpox is spreading across the African Union (AU) region. Both the number of cases and deaths are rising quickly, showing a problematic change in the pattern of the outbreak.