Zimbabwe has announced two confirmed cases of mpox in people who have travelled to South Africa and Tanzania.
Zimbabwe’s Health and Child Care Minister Douglas Mombeshora said on Sunday in a statement that both cases were stable, no longer infectious and were being managed at home, Xinhua news agency reported.
“Both cases are in isolation at home and are receiving appropriate care,” he added.
Mombeshora said the first case involved an 11-year-old boy who travelled to South Africa in August and returned to Zimbabwe on September 10.
“He developed symptoms on September 23. He is currently in isolation at home and is no longer infectious,” said the official, adding seven contacts had since been identified and were being monitored.
“Another case is a 24-year-old male with a known history of having travelled to Tanzania. He is currently in isolation at home and is no longer infectious. Contact tracing and monitoring is underway,” Mombeshora said.
The Minister reassured the public that the situation was under control and urged the Zimbabwean public not to panic and report any suspected cases to the nearest health facilities.
The World Health Organisation in August declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years, as a new variant of the viral infection spread from Congo to neighbouring African countries.
The new “clade 1b” variant has caused global concern as it seems to spread more easily through routine close contact.
Neighbouring Zambia also reported its first case last week without disclosing the strain.
Mpox typically causes flu-like symptoms and pus-filled lesions. It is usually mild but can kill.