Since May 2022, more than 97 000 cases of mpox have been reported globally from 117 countries, with 186 deaths (as of 31 May 2024). Between June and September of 2022, five cases of mpox were reported in South Africa, with no fatalities. All of these cases reported either a history of travel to countries reporting mpox cases or contact with someone who had recently travelled to a country reporting mpox cases. In May-June 2024, a further 13 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported in South Africa (as of 15 June 2024), with two fatalities reported. This includes seven cases in KwaZulu-Natal, five cases in Gauteng, and a single case in the Western Cape. Sequencing data available to date has confirmed that all cases identified in South Africa were clade IIb, which is the clade associated with the ongoing multi-country outbreak. Given the recent cases reported in South Africa, heightened vigilance is required in order to contain the spread of this virus.
Mpox Update