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SAMA RECOMMENDS VIGILANCE IN THE MONKEYPOX CASE IN SOUTH AFRICA
23 June 2022
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) recommends vigilance among its members and the public after the discovery of the first monkeypox case in South Africa. This case has been confirmed in Gauteng, however SAMA cautions members in other provinces to be on the lookout for this virus.
According to the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD), the case reported in South Africa involves a 30 year male with no recent travel history. The virus is transmitted through person-to-person close, direct contact with infected person/s or contaminated materials (e.g. bed linen, clothes and other household items).
The virus is said to be not highly transmissible, unlike the influenza or SARS-CoV-2 virus. The symptoms to look out for are acute illness typified by fever, general flu-like symptoms, followed by blister-like rash on the skin and/or swelling of the lymph nodes. It is also noted that the disease is rarely fatal; cases can resolve within two to four weeks. Isolation of cases is recommended to limit the spread of infection.
SAMA recommends that its members exercise vigilance and is in support of the adoption of contact tracing and monitoring of the cases as per the guidance of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the NICD. WHO and the NICD do not recommend embarking on a vaccination programme for monkeypox. However, the NICD has published a contact tracing procedure for monkeypox (see link below):
https://www.nicd.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Standard-Operating-Proecedure-for-Monkeypox-contact-tracing.pdf
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Notes to Editors
About SAMA The South African Medical Association was formally constituted on 21 May 1998 as a unification of a variety of doctors’ groups that had represented a diversity of interests. SAMA is a non-statutory, professional association for public, and private sector medical practitioners. SAMA is a voluntary membership association, existing to serve the best interests and needs of its members in any and all healthcare related matters.
Contact:
SAMA CEO
Dr Vusumuzi Nhlapho
079 033 8330
Email: vusumuzin@samedical.org
Spokesperson 1
Chairperson: SAMA
Dr M Mzukwa
076 382 8152
Email: mzukwam@gmail.com
Spokesperson 2
Vice-Chairperson: SAMA
Dr Edward Ngwenya
Email:ngwenyare@gmail.com
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