JOHANNESBURG, June 13 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's National Department of Health on Thursday announced another laboratory-confirmed case of monkeypox, also known as mpox, marking the second death linked to the disease in the country less than 24 hours after the first death was reported.
This brings the total number of monkeypox cases in South Africa to six, with two deaths in the last five weeks during the current outbreak. All cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in the provinces of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, with the latest case occurring in KwaZulu-Natal.
Foster Mohale, the spokesperson for the department, said the latest patient who succumbed to the disease was a 38-year-old man who tested positive for mpox Wednesday after being admitted to a local hospital in KwaZulu-Natal with extensive lesions, lymphadenopathy, headache, fatigue, oral ulcers, muscle aches, and sore throat.
"The patient was unfortunately demised in KwaZulu-Natal the same day his test results came back positive," Mohale said, adding that the patient was living with HIV.
The department said it has already initiated an investigation to trace the latest cases and deaths to combat further spread.
Mpox is an infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Symptoms include an unexplained acute rash and back pain, swollen lymph nodes, acute onset of fever, headache, muscle and body aches, and low energy.
The department urged those diagnosed with monkeypox to avoid contact with pregnant women, children, and immunocompromised individuals, as they may be at risk of infection. ■