South Africa has confirmed 26 cases of mpox so far this year, most of them since August, Daily Maverick reports in an article from the health news service Spotlight. Dr Jacqueline Weyer of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases said 18 of the cases, counted up to 27 October, were in the Western Cape, with the rest spread across Gauteng, the Eastern Cape, the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.
All but one of the cases were in men aged 23 to 50. Seven people have been admitted to hospital and no deaths have been recorded this year. Weyer said the situation counts as an outbreak, explaining that the term refers to cases warranting a public health response rather than a large number. The country's overall tally since 2022 remains low, and officials say vaccine stocks will be used as needed.
Source: Daily Maverick
