Health Authorities say they are on high alert to deal with monkeypox, and assure the public that it’s not yet cause for panic.
The first case of the disease was confirmed in Johannesburg yesterday and has caused concern among many South Africans.
But, the Ministerial Advisory Committee’s Professor Koleka Mlisana says it’s important to know that there’s treatment available.
“How it presents: you can get flu-like symptoms and you can get lesions. So, the important thing is that somebody who comes up with the clinic picture it is easy to diagnose and most importantly, it is difficult to transmit.”
Mlisana adds that laboratory structures have what it takes to monitor any new infections.
“Contact tracing is going to be important and we’ll continue to do that. But, right now, it’s just the one case, and it’s for us – as the lab people – to be on high alert and be able to identify, should there be more cases and whether there’s localisation of those cases”
