Govt. considering vaccine purchase as Monkeypox cases rise

SOUTH AFRICA – The Department of Health is considering procuring an Mpox vaccine amid a rise in the number of cases. This comes after the death of a Gauteng man who tested positive for Mpox. He was one of the five confirmed cases in the country. Health Minister Joe Phaahla briefed the media on plans to curb the spread of the disease on Wednesday morning.

Phaahla said the World Health Organisation has classified all cases as severe. “The cases have comorbidities and have been identified as what we regard as key populations, which includes men who have sex with men. One of the patients has been discharged. One has also been discharged home for further isolation and is being followed up. The two other patients are still admitted to the hospital.

The Department of Health has obtained from SAPRAH an emergency use approval, which is called a Section 21 approval for companionate use for patients with severe disease. SAPRAH also approved that the department obtain bigger doses of this anti-viral in case there are more cases, and the WHO will assist us in getting access to the treatment.

Once these vaccines have been obtained, they will be distributed to all provinces. Phaahla said a total number of 38 contacts have been identified in KwaZulu-Natal. Of the 38 contacts, 16 included households, hospitals, sexual partners and friends. “One of the KZN patients did confirm that he had sexual contact with multiple partners and that those partners include both males and females. So, as much as it’s dominantly men, but we are conscious that women are also affected,” added Phaahla.

• What is Monkeypox (Mpox)?

The monkeypox virus was discovered in Denmark (1958) in monkeys kept for research and the first reported human case of mpox was a nine-month-old boy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, 1970). Mpox can spread from person to person or occasionally from animals to people. Mpox (monkeypox) is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. It can cause a painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes and fever. Most people fully recover, but some get very sick.

Anyone can get mpox. It spreads from contact with infected:

• persons, through touch, kissing, or sex.
• animals, when hunting, skinning, or cooking them.
• materials, such as contaminated sheets, clothes or needles.
• pregnant persons, who may pass the virus on to their unborn baby.

If you have mpox:

• Tell anyone you have been close to recently.
• Stay at home until all scabs fall off and a new layer of skin forms.
• Cover lesions and wear a well-fitting mask when around other people.
• Avoid physical contact.