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SA records second death from Mpox, with six known positive cases
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has announced a second death linked to Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.
The announcement comes less than 24 hours after the government provided an update on its efforts to control the spread of the infectious disease.
According to the department, the deceased was a 38-year-old male patient, who was admitted at a local hospital in uMgungundlovu, KwaZulu-Natal.
The patient tested positive for Mpox on Wednesday after presenting with extensive lesions, lymphadenopathy, headache, fatigue, oral ulcers, muscle pain, and a sore throat.
“The patient has unfortunately demised in KwaZulu-Natal the same day his test results came back positive,” the statement read on Thursday.
The deceased is said to have been living with HIV and listed his residential address as Brakpan in Gauteng.
This brings the total number of positive cases in the country from five to six, and two deaths within five weeks.
“The department is working closely with both Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal Departments of Health to investigate the case. Further updates and reports will be provided once the investigation has been concluded.”
Data shows that the sequencing results for the first three cases, sequence typed as clade ll b, the same as the sub-lineage responsible for the multi-country outbreak, which began in 2022 and has since spread to over 100 countries.
Phaahla emphasised the importance of personal hygiene, timely presentation at a health facility for early diagnosis, effective treatment in the case of suspected symptoms, and close physical contact with a known case.
“Mpox is a preventable and treatable disease if diagnosed early. People are urged to avoid physical contact with someone who has Mpox, practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette.”
The department is also warning patients to avoid contact with immunocompromised people, children or pregnant women, who may be at higher risk of severe symptoms if exposed.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, the Minister said there was currently no registered treatment for Mpox in South Africa.
However, he said the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends using Tecovirimat, also known as TPOXX, for treating severe cases, such as in individuals with a CD4 count of less than 350.
He announced that the department has obtained TPOXX via Section 21 South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAPHRA) approval on a compassionate use basis for known patients with severe disease.
The Minister said they are still looking at obtaining vaccines and considering various options, including who will be the priority target in terms of immunisation.
Government is also looking at immunising sex workers, men who have sex with men (MSM), healthcare workers, and laboratory workers.
The department, working together with partner organisations, has intensified both targeted and public awareness to empower citizens with crucial information related to Mpox.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of managing stigma for key populations at risk, while there have been no recommendations for any travel restrictions.
“I think one can safely say that, especially for adults, anybody who develops those kinds of eruptions on their skin, even if you may think it might be chickenpox, even young people, should seek medical attention,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 06/13/2024 - 10:18
Tobacco use in SA remains high, with smokers starting at a younger age
The prevalence of smoking in South Africa remains high compared to other countries, with an average of 8.5 cigarettes smoked per day by daily smokers.
This information is based on the 2021 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) South Africa report, released by the Department of Health on Thursday.
Based on the most recent data from GATS, sampled from 7 245 households, it was found that the prevalence of tobacco use in South Africa is 29.4%.
The data also revealed that a higher percentage of men (41.7%) are currently using tobacco compared to women (17.9%).
Lead investigator, Dr Catherine Egbe from the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), stated that 21.2% of adults in South Africa smoke daily, while 4.6% smoke occasionally.
The highest prevalence of tobacco is found in the Northern Cape, followed by the Western Cape, while the lowest is in Limpopo.
Shifting her focus to the age of initiation of tobacco use, Egbe said the average age of initiation was 17.6 years old among adults aged between 20 and 34.
Meanwhile, 20.9% of urban residents and 13.5% of rural residents initiated smoking before the age of 15.
In addition, Egbe stated that 33.9% of daily tobacco users smoke within five minutes of waking up.
E-cigarettes and hookah pipe
Meanwhile, 2.2% said they were currently using e-cigarettes, of which 3.8% are men and 0.7% are women.
Of those using e-cigarettes, 70.3% cited enjoyment, 67.5% cited flavour, 45.1% perceived it as less harmful than tobacco, while 43.5% said their use was influenced by friends or family members who use e-cigarettes.
The study also found that 3.1% of adults reported smoking hookah pipe or hubbly bubbly.
“The mean age of initiation for those who have ever smoked water pipe was 21.1 years,” Egbe said.
For those aged between 15 and 24, the average age of initiation was 17.3 years old.
Quitting
Among adults currently smoking tobacco, 80.9% attempted to quit without assistance, 4.1% used pharmacotherapy, and 42.9% received advice to stop from their healthcare provider.
Data also shows that 74.4% of adults who visited public places were exposed to second-hand smoke (SHS) at bars, taverns, shebeens or nightclubs.
Meanwhile, 19.9% were exposed to SHS at school, 16.0% at tertiary institutions and 11.3% in cafes.
Data indicates that men spent slightly more on cigarettes, R273.20, while women spent around R207.20 monthly.
Government interventions
The Department of Health’s Deputy Director of General Primary Healthcare, Jeanette Hunter, has noted an increase in the use of hookah, e-cigarettes and vapes, particularly among young people.
“Studies have highlighted health risks associated with the use of e-cigarettes and hookah pipes, hubbly bubbly or shisha, even though they are aggressively marketed as healthier tobacco alternatives,” Hunter said.
She said scientists have provided enough evidence for countries to act and put measures in place to curb the use of these new-generation products.
“It is for this reason that we, as a country, amended the existing Tobacco Product Control Act, Act 83 of 1993 to incorporate the control of the use of electronic delivery systems. This amendment Bill is at the stage of going through Parliamentary processes.”
Hunter also raised concerns about citizens who are now starting to smoke at a younger age.
“Disappointingly, it reveals that a small percentage, only 42.9% of smokers, were advised by a healthcare provider to quit smoking.”
Hunter said the department has since identified the need to establish tobacco cessation programmes in primary healthcare facilities and that the feasibility of such programmes is being explored.
Hunter also highlighted the importance of the proposed ban on smoking in enclosed spaces after it was found that 44.5% of adults in South Africa are exposed to SHS.
Meanwhile, as part of the recommendations, Egbe emphasised the importance of implementing tobacco taxes, smoke-free laws, graphic health warnings, and total bans on tobacco advertising and promotion to reduce smoking initiation, particularly among young people.
“Effective strategies to reduce tobacco use, including putting in place more comprehensive laws that are compliant with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, should be implemented to protect more people from exposure to SHS, and provide cessation services to help more people who smoke to quit,” Egbe said.
In addition, Egbe believes that if Parliament were to pass the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill of 2022, it would help reduce long-term tobacco use and the burden of tobacco-related diseases. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 06/13/2024 - 12:21
One Mpox patient passes away, while four are still in recovery
Health Minister Dr Joe Phaahla has announced that one of the five Mpox patients in South Africa passed away on Monday at Tembisa Hospital in Gauteng.
This comes after two cases were confirmed in Gauteng and three in KwaZulu-Natal.
“In all cases, patients are males aged between 30 to 39 years without travel history to the countries currently experiencing an outbreak, which suggests there is local transmission of this infectious disease in the country,” the Minister said on Wednesday.
According to the Minister, the deceased was originally from KwaZulu-Natal but has not been at home since December last year.
The Minister made these announcements during a media briefing on Wednesday centred on the management of the monkeypox outbreak in the country.
Phaahla stated that all cases were classified as severe cases, as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition requiring hospitalisation.
The patients have comorbidities and have been identified as key populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM).
The Minister told the media that one of the patients has since been discharged, one is isolating at home, while two are still in hospital.
Phaahla explained that the sequencing analysis of three of the cases revealed Mpox clade IIb, a variant dominant in the multi-country and post-outbreak, which began in 2022.
The last time South Africa recorded positive cases of Mpox was in 2022, when five cases were confirmed in the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Gauteng, with no cases reported in 2023.
“So, the one in our country is consistent with the multi-country outbreaks in various parts of the world and different from the strain variant in the DRC,” he explained.
Contact tracing
The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), the Minister said, continues with epidemiological and surveillance activities to identify cases for investigation to estimate the magnitude of disease through systematic data collection and analysis.
He told the media that 38 contacts were identified in KwaZulu-Natal, while one of the patients indicated to have had sexual contact with multiple partners, including both males and females.
Meanwhile, the Outbreak Response Team have embarked on contact tracing and case finding in the affected provinces.
“Encourage people who may know that in one way or another have been associated with someone with the disease or showing any symptoms of skin lesions or rashes to approach their nearest health facility.”
Vaccine
Currently, there is no registered treatment for Mpox in South Africa.
However, the Minister said the WHO recommends using Tecovirimat, also known as TPOXX, for treating severe cases, such as in individuals with a CD4 count of less than 350.
He announced that the department has obtained TPOXX via Section 21 South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAPHRA) approval on a compassionate use basis for known patients with severe disease.
The Minister said they are still looking at obtaining vaccines and considering various options, including who will be the priority target in terms of immunisation.
However, he believes that high-risk groups should be prioritised, including sex workers, MSM, healthcare workers, and laboratory workers.
The department, working together with partner organisations, has intensified both targeted and public awareness to empower the citizens with crucial information related to Mpox.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of managing stigma for key populations at risk, while there have been no recommendations for any travel restrictions.
“I think one can safely say that, especially for adults, anybody who develops those kinds of eruptions on their skin, even if you may think it might be chickenpox, even young people, should seek medical attention.”
He said government endeavours to prevent any further deaths.
“We already have one fatality and he was quite sick, and were informed that even though the antiviral agent because of the severity of the sores, he could not swallow his treatment and died within a few days.” – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Wed, 06/12/2024 - 12:50
The mine has the king’s blessing but no environmental authorisation
With a strong slate of exploration and production activities and competitive licensing rounds in 2024, Africa is well-positioned to realize its potential as the global energy frontier. These bid rounds are poised to cement Africa as a global hub for hydrocarbon development.
Licensing rounds from Africa's leading upstream players will be on display at this year's African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy 2024 – scheduled for November 4-8 in Cape Town. Investors will be able to access exclusive information and technical presentations from the relevant petroleum ministries and regulators on both current and planned licensing rounds as the continent seeks to attract a broader range of companies to sign new contracts and drive exploratory drilling.
AEW: Invest in African Energy is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
Oil and Gas Revival in North Africa
As part of the country's plan to boost oil production to two million barrels per day within the next three to five years, Libya's parastatal National Oil Corporation has announced plans for an oil and gas licensing round in 2024 or early 2025. The licensing round will focus on fields in the Sirte, Murzuq and Ghadames basins and presents a vital opportunity for Libya to attract new upstream investments.
Meanwhile, Algeria is expected to launch a licensing round offering between 10 and 12 onshore blocks in late 2024. The bid round forms part of the country's strategy to maximize its gas and LNG potential. Additionally, in September 2023, the Egyptian General Petroleum Corporation and the South Valley Petroleum Holding Company launched a new licensing round aimed at boosting the country's energy reserves and production capacity. The licensing round offers 23 on- and offshore blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Western Desert, Eastern Desert, Gulf of Suez and Red Sea.
Driving Production in Africa's Promising Frontiers
With energy supermajors bp, TotalEnergies and Shell as well as upstream independent Kosmos Energy spearheading exploration activities in Mauritania, the country's upcoming licensing round for 15 offshore blocks in 2024 is poised to mark a significant milestone in its energy sector. Mauritania's coastal basin features extensive 2D and 3D seismic data coverage covering over 100,000km and 100,000km2, respectively.
Additionally, with its latest licensing round having featured 56 offshore blocks and concluding last September, another bid round is on the horizon for Sierra Leone in 2024. Despite its position as a frontier exploration market, Sierra Leone boasts a significant petroleum system that includes the Venus-B1, Mercury-1, Jupiter-1 and Savannah-1X discoveries. The country's licensing round is supported by extensive 2D and 3D multi-client data, competitive and transparent fiscal terms and cooperation agreements in place with other African markets.
Set to spur new exploration and drilling activities in the prospective acreages of its deepwater basins, Nigeria's Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission relaunched its latest licensing round during the Invest in African Energy summit in May. The round features 12 deep offshore and shallow water oil blocks and is available for bidding through January 2025.
Propelling Southern and Eastern Africa's Energy Security
Last September, Angola's national concessionaire the National Oil, Gas and Biofuels Agency launched a public tender for 12 onshore blocks in the Kwanza and Congo Basins. Receiving 53 bids, the tender includes four blocks in Angola's Congo Basin and eight in the Kwanza Basin.
Expected for 2024 or 2025, the South African government will put up at least 10 new onshore blocks for shale gas development in the country's Karoo region to reduce imports and alleviate an ailing energy grid. The licensing round will serve as the country's first competitive auction for oil and gas resources. According to the state-owned Petroleum Agency of South Africa, the Karoo basin is estimated to hold up to 209 trillion cubic feet of recoverable shale gas and includes 90,000km2 of acreage previously held by Shell.
Tanzania has proposed auctioning up to 26 oil and gas blocks by June 2024 and will award licenses to the winners by December of the same year. The round will serve as Tanzania's fifth bid round and is designed to revive interest in the country's largely underdeveloped oil and gas sector. Of the 26 demarcated blocks open for bidding, 11 will be situated in the country's offshore while 15 will be onshore. The Tanzanian government is currently in talks with a multi-client data contractor to compile extensive 2D and 3D seismic data within the basins.
Meanwhile, having introduced a new Hydrocarbons Code in 2019, Gabon has emerged as a preferred destination for energy investors and majors due to investor-friendly reforms. Gabon's heightened interest is attributable to the deregulation of its hydrocarbons sector, which is a core aim of its recently enacted reforms.
During the AEW: Invest in African Energy conference, industry experts will unpack block opportunities across Africa's mature and emerging oil and gas markets. Through dedicated country spotlight sessions, panel discussions and investor briefings, the event promotes deal-signing and project development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
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SA records two more monkeypox disease cases
The Department of Health is appealing to citizens who have been in close contact with known or suspected patients of monkeypox disease, also known as Mpox, to go to their nearest health facility.
This is after the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) detected two more cases of Mpox this week at Addington and St Augustine Hospitals in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
“The preliminary case finding report has revealed that the two recent cases had contact with the other previously confirmed case in the province, and this suggests that there is a local transmission of the disease, which could potentially lead to a larger outbreak in the province,” the department said in a statement.
This brings the total number of laboratory-confirmed infections in the country to four, with three in KwaZulu-Natal and one in Gauteng.
READ | SA records second case of Mpox
According to the data, all the patients are South African males in their mid to late 30s.
The department said close contact with lesions, sexual contact, body fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials such as bedding transmit the Mpox virus from one person to another.
The incubation period of Mpox is usually from six to 13 days but can range from five to 21 days.
“The health officials rely on transparency and cooperation from cases or patients for contact tracing and case finding to determine the rate of transmission of this infectious virus at community level.”
The department said they were pleased by the patients’ honesty and courage during the investigation process and thanked them for assisting officials in tracing suspected cases who also tested positive.
“It is through transparency of both confirmed and suspected cases that government can prevent further transmission and avoidable deaths.”
Meanwhile, the department in collaboration with various stakeholders in the sector is intensifying epidemiology and surveillance, and risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) activities.
“These will also help to address social stigma, which contributes to people’s decision not to openly speak out because they suspect communities will not accept them due to their health conditions.”
In most cases, the department said stigma contributes to the spread of the virus thereby making the outbreak and transmission worse.
Symptoms
Some of the common symptoms of Mpox include a rash, which may last for two to four weeks, fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen glands.
“The painful rash looks like blisters or sores, and can affect the face, palms of the hands, soles of the feet, groin, genital and/or anal regions,” the department explained.
However, the department has urged the public not to panic because the situation remains under control and that they will keep the public informed of the situation. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Thu, 06/06/2024 - 09:55
SevenC, a leading IT infrastructure and network service provider striving to identify and make available the best possible ICT strategies for its clients’ unique needs, explores the benefits of next-gen IT services and how blending digital and IT integration expertise can future-proof your business. “One of the most effective ways to ensure your business stays …
Historical Legacy: South Africa has a long history of mining, dating back to the late 19th century. Many older mines were developed without stringent environmental regulations, leading to widespread environmental contamination from poorly managed mine waste, including tailings dams, waste rock dumps, and abandoned mine shafts. Gold mining has been a major industry in South …
Today we answer the question; “Are Remote Monitoring IOT Systems for Water Meters Useful?” In today’s world, where technology plays a crucial role in optimizing various processes, the use of remote monitoring systems for water meters has become increasingly popular. These systems offer a range of benefits that can enhance efficiency, accuracy, and convenience in …
Health sector comes together to track progress in confronting TB
As part of ongoing efforts to reduce new Tuberculosis (TB) infections and deaths, the country is hosting the 8th SA TB Conference in Durban.
The gathering is an opportunity to track progress towards achieving the 2025 targets set at the United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting and the 2030 target to end the epidemic in line with the pragmatic End TB Strategy by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The conference, said the Department of Health, is being held at the International Convention Centre in KwaZulu-Natal from Tuesday to Friday. The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, is expected to deliver a keynote address to officially open the conference on Tuesday at 3pm.
Globally, TB is still a leading cause of death from a single infectious agent and one of the greatest public health threats in South Africa.
South Africa remains one of the 30 high-burden TB countries contributing to 87% of the estimated incident cases worldwide.
“It claims approximately 54 000 lives annually or around 148 lives daily in South Africa,” the department said.
However, government believes it has made strides to ensure that all people with TB have equitable access to high-quality diagnosis, treatment, care and preventive therapy.
“Data shows that 56% of TB patients experience catastrophic costs as per a recent WHO survey. These include a rollout of shorter regimens with better drugs for the treatment of drug-resistant TB, and the notable launch of the bedaquiline-pretomanid-linezolid-levofloxacin (BPaL-L) programme.”
Other innovative interventions include the introduction of targeted universal TB testing regardless of symptoms among high-risk groups, the introduction of SMS notifications for reporting test results, and the use of artificial intelligence such as digital chest X-rays in TB screening and diagnosis.
The four-day biannual conference is expected to “re-energise the TB community” through in-person interactions between local and international stakeholders consisting of policymakers, academics, researchers, government officials, and members of civil society organisations.
The conference is being held under the theme: “Accelerating progress to end TB”, which serves as a call for all sectors of society to join hands to prevent avoidable deaths from a preventable and curable disease.
The meeting will consist of insightful sessions designed to cover diverse aspects of the disease and control discussions.
These include the TB vaccine, infections in mines, insights and innovations towards ending TB, stigma measurement among people, care services and treatment response in children with presumptive pulmonary TB over six months.
The panellists will also look at the results of community-based TB services targeting migrant workers in the South of Mozambique.
The department in collaboration with stakeholders in the sector including the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) is currently implementing the national TB Recovery Plan, which aims to reverse the losses incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The aim is to accelerate efforts towards attaining the National Strategic Plan, UN High-Level Meeting, Sustainable Development Goals and End TB targets will be strengthened. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Tue, 06/04/2024 - 10:05
The fight against fraud is constantly evolving. Experian’s recent fraud research shows that 71% of the fraud leaders in our survey are struggling to keep up with the rapidly evolving fraud threat. But as new technology creates opportunities for fraudsters, so too does it enable better fraud prevention. This balance between fraud attacks and prevention …
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Glitches and slow queues need to be seen in light of IEC’s budget cuts
IEC continues vote capturing
The Electoral Commission is pulling all the stops to ensure the finalisation of the capturing and auditing of results for the 2024 National and Provincial Elections, and remains on course to complete the process timeously.
Briefing media at the National Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand on Friday, the Commission’s Chief Electoral Officer, Sy Mamabolo, reiterated that counting at all voting stations has been completed, and that the Commission has all the results at its local offices.
“The process underway is to capture results on our system for tallying and seat allocation. So far, a total of 71.76 [percentage of] results have been captured,” Mamabolo explained.
The CEO reminded South Africans that the ballots are counted at the voting stations where they are cast.
WATCH | IEC media briefing
“At all times, this is done in the presence of political party agents, independent candidate agents and observers, who monitor the entire counting and results process.
“The Commission regrets the incident this morning when the leader boards at the results operation centres and our website could not display the results. We wish to emphasise that our system did not crash and no data was compromised.
“The Commission went into the elections with a full IT plan, which includes back-up and recovery, in case it is needed. This situation has not arisen,” Mamabolo said.
READ | IEC's results dashboard restored
Mamabolo said the incident involved the activation of a "necessary control" not to display to leader boards, which is a feature of the result system.
“Result capturing and other result collation activities proceeded without interruption,” he said.
Meanwhile, progress relating to the capturing of the results, per province, is as follows (as at the time of the media briefing at 4pm):
- SAnews.gov.za
Edwin
Fri, 05/31/2024 - 16:58
Tales of Turning – an organisation which harnesses research, social media, and technology for good – has partnered with the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington, and the Media Forensics Hub at Clemson University to conduct a field experiment focused on preventing mis- and disinformation over South Africa’s election period. Digital …
Over 55% of election results captured
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) had captured close to 55% of the ballots as of 9am on Friday.
According to the IEC results dashboard, the African National Congress (ANC) is taking the lead nationally, with 3 236 550 votes representing 42.07%.
The ANC is followed by the Democratic Alliance with 1 821 912 at 23.68%, while the new kids on the block the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has already secured 832 178 at 10.82%.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), which is currently the third biggest party in Parliament, is sitting at 9.58% with 737 238 votes.
Newcomer, the Patriotic Alliance (PA) is also making headway at position five with 211 738 at 2.75%.
These are currently the leading parties by voting station, as the IEC officials continue to capture the results in the 2024 National and Provincial Elections.
The counting procedures have been concluded with only a few voting stations reported to still be counting at 3pm on Thursday.
“The process of results compilation entails ensuring accuracy and validation of the results. This process involves scanning each result slip to create an image of the result, double-blind capture of each result slip, auditing of each result slip by independent auditors,” the IEC said.
According to the commission, the resulting system was audited externally and the parties also had to verify them.
The results have been trickling in throughout the night, as capturing continues.
The IEC said last night they were sitting on a 58.69% voter turnout, hovering just below 60% of voters, with bigger stations’ results still to come in.
As per the IEC data, 27 782 777 people registered to vote, with 7 943 840 total votes cast.
Of these, 7 840 658 were valid, with 103 182 spoilt votes.
The results continue to be captured and displayed on the leaderboards at the Results Operations Centre in Midrand. – SAnews.gov.za
Gabisile
Fri, 05/31/2024 - 10:03
IEC's results dashboard restored
The Electoral Commission (IEC) has apologised to voters and the media who were unable to view results in the National and Provincial Elections for almost two hours on Friday morning.
The leaderboards at the Results Operations Centre (ROC) in Midrand and the online results dashboard are currently back up and running.
“The Electoral Commission confirms that it has experienced interruption in the replication of data from its national data centre and the various Results Operation Centres.
“The data in the data centre remains intact and the results have not been compromised. All services have since been restored and the leaderboard is working normal,” said the commission.
It said the processing of results is continuing and unaffected.
The commission has completed 54.89 percent of the results as at 9am on Friday.
Access the live results at https://results.elections.org.za/dashboards/npe/. – SAnews.gov.za
GabiK
Fri, 05/31/2024 - 08:57