Zimbabwe health authorities monitoring Mpox contacts after 2 cases

Health authorities in Zimbabwe are closely monitoring the contacts of two individuals who recently tested positive for Mpox, a viral infection that has spread globally from equatorial forests in Africa. The two cases, identified in Harare and Mberengwa, remain isolated and in stable condition, according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Dr. Douglas Mombeshora, the Health and Child Care Minister, confirmed that seven contacts of the 11-year-old patient from Mberengwa have been identified, with ongoing efforts to trace more contacts of the 24-year-old patient in Harare.

"We have not had any more cases, but we have increased our surveillance," Dr. Mombeshora stated. "Mpox has a long incubation period, which is between four and 21 days. Therefore, we are still monitoring the contacts of those two patients. We don't know whether there will be any new positive cases."

He added that none of the seven contacts in Mberengwa had shown symptoms, but contact tracing in Harare remains challenging due to the high mobility of residents.

The Minister highlighted that Mpox's long incubation period and mild initial symptoms could delay detection. "At times, we may not detect it if someone crosses our borders because the symptoms - such as high fever, headache, general body malaise, and even vomiting - can take up to three weeks to manifest," he explained. "Mpox is also a self-limiting disease, meaning a person may recover without seeking medical attention."

Mpox is a rare viral infection endemic to Central and West Africa. It spreads through close contact with infected people, animals, or contaminated materials. Earlier this year, the World Health Organisation declared Mpox a global public health emergency after the new clade 1b strain spread from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to other nations.

Dr. Mombeshora said that Zimbabwe is still awaiting results from South Africa to determine the strain affecting the two patients. "At the moment, it's work in progress. We've sent specimens for classification, but we have enough reagents to test more than 500 people," he assured.

He encouraged the public to remain calm and follow preventive measures, such as maintaining good hygiene and seeking medical help for unexplained symptoms.

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the African continent has recorded over 40,000 suspected Mpox cases and 1,000 deaths across 18 countries, with the DRC reporting the majority of infections.