Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi. | Siyabulela Duda
Durban — The last reported case of monkeypox (Mpox) was recorded in September and the number of reported cases since May remains at 25.
This was revealed in a parliamentary written question and response by Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi after the DA’s Michéle Clarke asked the minister about the current Mpox situation in South Africa.
Among some of her questions, Clarke asked the minister which provinces Mpox was detected in and screening procedures. She also asked what the cost of screening is and from which budget the cost is paid.
In his response, Motsoaledi said South Africa has reported a total of 25 Mpox cases since May 2024.
The cases were reported in three provinces, Gauteng (12), KwaZulu-Natal (11) and the Western Cape (2). The last reported case was on September 6 in the Western Cape.
Motsoaledi explained that the epidemiology of Mpox in South Africa is consistent with the multi-country outbreak and is predominantly among men who have sex with men. All cases reported in South Africa were male.
“While we have established epidemiological linkage in three cases, we are unable to trace the source of the infection. In most instances the cases reported that they did not know their contacts, citing that sexual encounters were organised on online Apps with no further contact after the encounter.”
Motsoaledi further explained that screening is conducted at health facilities - clinics and hospitals - where individuals seek help.
“Clinicians have been trained on the diagnosis and management of Mpox and the use of a Mpox screening tool which enables early identification of suspected cases. Confirmation of Mpox is done through laboratory testing at the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) which has enhanced diagnostic capabilities for Mpox testing.”
Motsoaledi said that facility-based surveillance is funded through the health facilities’ budget while laboratory surveillance is funded through the NICD.
“The NICD estimates that the laboratory-based surveillance costs are about R2 million. This cost is for about 1 000 tests performed in both the public and private sectors and includes sequencing of positives and transportation of specimens,” Motsoaledi explained.
He said the NICD had donations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and is also using the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) grant for transportation and sequencing.
“About a third of the cost was incurred and funded in the private sector,” Motsoaledi added.
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