South Africa has reported the deaths of two individuals this week due to mpox, raising concerns about local transmission of the disease. The country's health ministry confirmed that a 38-year-old man from the eastern KwaZulu-Natal province passed away on Thursday after testing positive for the virus. Another man also died on Monday in a hospital near Johannesburg, according to the ministry.

Health Minister Joe Phaahla stated that these two deaths are among the six recently confirmed cases of mpox in South Africa, all of which are in men in their 30s. It was revealed that some of the infected individuals had multiple sexual partners, including both men and women. Genetic tests conducted on the first three cases indicated that the virus had the less severe variant, which caused a global outbreak in 2022.

Interestingly, none of the individuals had a travel history to countries currently experiencing an mpox outbreak, suggesting local transmission of the disease. It is worth noting that all six men who contracted mpox had underlying health conditions, with the latest victim also having HIV. Mpox is known to be more fatal in people with weakened immune systems or underlying health issues.

Mpox, also known as monkeypox, is a rare disease caused by a virus related to the one responsible for smallpox. The disease is common in other parts of Africa, where individuals often get infected through bites from rodents or other small animals. Recent epidemics in 2022 marked the first instances of mpox spreading through sexual contact, predominantly affecting gay or bisexual men.

In response to the outbreak, Health Minister Phaahla mentioned that South Africa currently lacks vaccines for mpox but is considering procuring doses and implementing an immunization campaign. The country's last mpox case was recorded in 2022. However, Phaahla reassured the public that this outbreak in South Africa is distinct from the ongoing mpox epidemic in Congo, where a more virulent strain of the disease is believed to be driving the largest outbreak the country has seen.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported last month that since 2022, there have been 186 mpox-related deaths globally, with a mortality rate of less than 1%. Although mpox was declared a global emergency in 2022, WHO stated last year that it is no longer classified as an international crisis. As South Africa navigates this recent outbreak, authorities will be closely monitoring the situation and taking steps to protect public health.