Zimbabwe records first Mpox cases; Ministry of Health is very alert during the rollout of the response plan

By Maria Taruvinga

Minister of Health and Child Care, Douglas Mombeshora, has announced that Zimbabwe has recorded its first cases of Mpox, with one case in Harare and another in Mberengwa.

Speaking to journalists in Harare on Sunday, Mombeshora said the two, an 11-year-old and a male adult, have a known record of travel from South Africa and Tanzania respectively.

Both patients are stable, according to the minister.

“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 one in Mberengwa.

“Both cases have been isolated at home and are receiving appropriate care. Both cases are stable and recovering,” he said.

Mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) was declared a public health emergency of continental safety by the Africa Center for Disease Control (CDC) on August 13, 2024.

It was subsequently declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 14 August 2024 under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).

In Africa, 7,535 confirmed cumulative cases of Mpox and 32 deaths have been reported so far in 2024.

Here in Zimbabwe, the 11-year-old male patient, known to have traveled to South Africa in August 2024, returned to Zimbabwe on September 10, 2024.

He developed symptoms on September 23, 2024, but is no longer contagious and is recovering from home.

Seven contacts have now been identified and are being monitored.

Case number two is a 24-year-old man with a known history of traveling to Tanzania on September 12, 2024 and returning on September 21, 2024. He developed symptoms on September 29, 2024.

“He is currently in isolation at home and is no longer contagious.

“Contact tracing and monitoring is underway,” the minister said, adding that the response plan is already in place and will include awareness campaigns and training of healthcare workers.