A second individual has succumbed to the viral infection mpox in South Africa this week, according to the health ministry, following the announcement of the first fatality less than a day earlier.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection transmitted through close interaction with infected individuals or animals and through contaminated materials like bedding.

In July 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a global health emergency due to mpox, which continued for 10 months.

The South African government reported on Thursday that the second person who died was a 38-year-old man. Hospitalized in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, he presented with extensive lesions, headaches, fatigue, oral sores, muscle pain, and a sore throat, and tested positive for mpox on Wednesday.

"The patient unfortunately passed away in KZN the same day his test results returned positive," stated Foster Mohale, spokesperson for the national health department.

In total, six laboratory-confirmed cases of mpox have been identified in the country, resulting in two deaths within the past five weeks.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Joe Phaahla announced the first death and four additional infections. "One death is too many, especially from a disease that can be managed and prevented," Phaahla said, encouraging individuals with symptoms to seek medical attention and help trace contacts.

These six cases represent the first instances of mpox recorded in South Africa since 2022.

Mpox spreads through close physical contact, and although most cases are mild, some can be fatal.

The illness causes painful and scarring lesions, mainly affecting the face, genitals, and anus. Typical symptoms include a skin rash, fever, headaches, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes, as detailed by the WHO.

First identified in humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the mpox virus was primarily confined to certain West and Central African nations.

The WHO reported more than 97,000 cases and 186 deaths across 117 countries in the first four months of 2024.

Health Minister Phaahla noted that all recent cases in South Africa involved men in their 30s, and their infections were severe. "Our goal is to stockpile Tecovirimat treatment for quick deployment if the current situation escalates into a larger outbreak," Phaahla elaborated, referring to an antiviral medication.