Mpox | Experts say anyone can be affected

 

Health experts have advised South Africans to be vigilant as cases of the Mpox disease (formerly known as Monkeypox) continue to increase in the country.

The Health Department on Thursday announced that seven cases have been confirmed to date – with two of those who contracted the virus succumbing to it.

The NICD’s Dr Jacqueline Weyer says the highest risk to contract the disease is skin to skin contact.

 

The Health Department says it is currently working on contact tracing as cases rise and has urged South Africans to not panic.

The Mpox disease belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox and can spread between animals and humans.

The symptoms include rashes lasting two to four weeks, fever, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands.

The virus is transmitted from one person to another, through sexual contact, respiratory droplets, and contaminated bedding, among others.

Dr Weyer says the most prevalent gender to contract the disease is males.

 

She has also warned against stigmatising people who have been diagnosed with the disease.

 

Infectious Disease specialist at the University of KwaZulu- Natal, Professor Yunus Moosa, warned against blaming the deaths of the two patients entirely on Mpox.

He says the patients were very immunocompromised so there could have been several other reasons for their death.

While its males who have so far contracted the disease, Professor Moosa says females are not immune. They can contract it should they be exposed to it.

He says the virus has just found its way into the Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) sexual network, hence the dominance in that group of people.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla, has meanwhile revealed that South Africa is trying to source vaccines from World Health Organisation (WHO) member countries.

 

Below are tips on what you should do to protect yourself and others, should you be diognised with the disease:

• Stay home and in your own room if possible
• Wash hands often with soap and water or hand sanitiser, especially before or after touching sores
• Wear a mask and cover lesions when around other people until your rash heals
• Keep skin dry and uncovered (unless in a room with someone else)
• Avoid touching items in shared spaces and disinfect shared spaces frequently
• Use saltwater rinses for sores in the mouth
• Take sitz baths or warm baths with baking soda or Epsom salts for body sores
• Take over-the-counter medications for pain like paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen

Do Not: 

• Pop blisters or scratch sores, which can slow healing, spread the rash to other parts of the body, and cause sores to become infected
• Shave areas with sores until scabs have healed and you have new skin underneath (this can spread the rash to other parts of the body)

Don’t forget bird flu! NYC birds already have it, & it’s already jumping to humans elsewhere. Masks are for more than COVID. There’s also TB, Mpox, RSV, Strep, Norovirus, Measles & Polio in NYC presently. MASK UP!

— Anti-Andrew Wakefield  (@GoddessTriV) June 14, 2024

They are soft launching this Mpox https://t.co/LKP389krmP

— VALENCIAM (@MasekoValenciaN) June 14, 2024

You should see how they’re trying to scare everyone in South Africa with the latest mpox ‘outbreak’

— Rdawg (@Rdawg3000) June 14, 2024

Covid is still out there! Now, we also have bird flu AND monkey pox, I mean Mpox…so those gentlemen were protecting us all and we should learn from them.

— chompyblop (@ChompydaChomper) June 14, 2024

It’s deeply concerning to hear about the second death from #mpox in South Africa
The rapidity of these fatalities underscores the urgency for public health measures and vigilance in containing the spread. Stay informed and take necessary precautions to protect yourself and other https://t.co/1DNn0OPtY1

— Kelly Anderson (@kelly_archives) June 14, 2024