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As of September 22, the South African Health Department has reported a rise in Mpox cases, increasing from 18 to 22. One new case involves a 47-year-old man from Cape Town who had recently traveled to Spain. Initially considered a probable case, laboratory confirmation in Spain led to his reclassification as a laboratory-confirmed infection.

Mpox, a viral disease potentially affecting anyone, can present with symptoms including fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, fatigue, and a rash or skin lesions, which may appear on various parts of the body.

In addition to the Cape Town case, there are three further confirmed cases in South Africa: two originated from travelers from Germany and Norway. Out of the 22 confirmed cases, 18 are located in the Western Cape, three in Gauteng, and one in KwaZulu-Natal. All patients, except one, are male. The Health Department, in partnership with the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other allies, is working with the Western Cape Health Department to implement response actions, such as contact tracing and enhanced surveillance.

Foster Mohale, a spokesperson for the Health Department, emphasized the importance of early medical attention for anyone in close contact with a confirmed case within 21 days who subsequently develops symptoms. He advised healthcare providers to be informed of patients' exposure history. Despite most cases remaining concentrated in the Western Cape, the identification of transmission clusters and cases across multiple provinces underscores the necessity for ongoing public cooperation, early detection, and consistent surveillance to curb the spread of Mpox.

The Health Department remains vigilant, promising to offer further updates as new information becomes available.