Cape Town - Despite no consensus over whether the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), the World Health Organization (WHO) has categorised it as such.
This follows a second meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on monkeypox last week.
On Saturday, WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus said committee members had not reached a status but after taking into consideration views and other factors in line with International Health Regulations, the WHO determined it as a PHEIC.
Temporary recommendations have been issued that will apply to countries based on their epidemiological situation.
Between January 1 and July 20, 14533 probable and laboratory confirmed cases, including three deaths in Nigeria and two in the Central African Republic, were reported to the WHO from 72 countries – an increase of 3 040 cases in 47 countries at the start of May.
Monkeypox transmission was found in countries with no previous reported cases with most cases in men who identified as gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men (MSM), in urban areas, and are clustered in social and sexual networks, the WHO said.
More women and children are among cases identified in west and central Africa. A few cases have been reported in health-care workers, but investigations so far have not identified cases of occupational transmission. A limited number of cases have also been reported among sex workers.
Secondary transmission to some children and women have been recorded, and limited transmission reported among immuno-suppressed persons, pregnant women, or children.
The WHO risk assessment is considered “moderate” at global level and in all six WHO regions, except for the European region, where it is “high”.
Meanwhile, the Health Department has cautioned against panic following the announcement by WHO.
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported three laboratory confirmed cases from Gauteng, Western Cape and Limpopo, in men aged 30, 32 and 42.
The third confirmed case reported on July 10 in Limpopo was an imported case involving a tourist who has since returned to his home country, Switzerland.
Department spokesperson Foster Mohale said the two patients and their contacts have completed an isolation period with no reports of serious complications.
The NICD said no secondary cases linked to the three confirmed cases were reported.
From May 25 to July 19 this year, 226 laboratory tests (PCR) from individuals suspected of monkeypox disease within South Africa and other African countries, were conducted.
“It's too early for the public to panic because the situation is under control and the department working closely with the NICD and WHO-SA are closely monitoring the situation and keeping the public abreast of the development,” Mohale said.
“The department has been prepared with heightened screening and surveillance services since the Covid-19 pandemic and the same is used to detect cases early and successful management of cases, especially at the ports of entry.”