By Michael Gwarisa
Health and Child Care Minister, Dr Douglas Mombeshora has announced that two cases of Mpox have been recorded in Zimbabwe.
Briefing Journalists in the capital, Harare Dr Mombeshora said the two cases are in currently in isolation.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care wishes to inform the nation that Zimbabwe now has two (2) confirmed cases of Mpox: one in Harare and another in Mberengwa. Both cases are in isolation at home, and are receiving appropriate care,” said Dr Mombeshora.
He added that both cases are stable and recovering. Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) was declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security by Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) on the 13th of August 2024.
“It was then declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) by World Health Organization (WHO) on the 14th of August 2024. In Africa, there are 7535 confirmed cumulative cases of Mpox and 32 deaths reported so far in 2024,” he said.
In Zimbabwe, Case number 1 is an 11-year-old male child with a known history of having travelled to South Africa in August 2024, returning to Zimbabwe on the 10th of September 2024. He developed symptoms on the 23rd of September 2024.
“He is currently in isolation at home and is no longer infectious. Seven (7) contacts have since been identified and are being monitored.”
Case number 2 is a 24-year-old male with a known history of having travelled to Tanzania on the 14th of September 2024 and came back on the 21st of September 2024. He developed symptoms on the 29th of September 2024. He is currently in isolation at home and is no longer infectious. Contact tracing and monitoring is underway.
