The first case of monkeypox in South Africa has been confirmed by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) on Wednesday.

According to the NICD, a 30-year-old man from Gauteng has tested positive for the rare viral infection.

“He reports no recent travel history. Contact tracing has commenced, identifying any additional linked cases of monkeypox in South Africa,” the NICD said in a statement on Thursday.

Cases of monkeypox has have been reported across the world since May this year in several countries, including the USA, Canada, Australia, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates and various European countries.

The NICD says this is the first multi-country outbreak of the disease and already the largest outbreak of monkeypox on record.

“The cases to date mostly involve individuals that self-identify as men having sex with men. Risk factors include reporting multiple sexual partners. Recent large social events are thought to have served as super spreader events.”

According to the NICD, the virus can be spread between people with close contact, for example when kissing, cuddling or through sexual contact with an infected person or materials that have been contaminated.

#Monkeypox spreads through close contact such as kissing, cuddling, or touching parts of the body with monkeypox lesions (wound). The virus is not very contagious and does not spread in the same way as viruses such as flu and COVID-19. Read more here https://t.co/KwTQU8zrIw pic.twitter.com/MU4JZQCsv2

— NICD (@nicd_sa) June 23, 2022

“The virus is not highly transmissible and close physical contact is required for transmission. It does not spread similarly to influenza or the SARS-CoV-2 virus.”

Signs of being infected by the disease include fever and general flu-like symptoms, followed by a blister-like rash on the skin.

The NICD says the disease is rarely fatal and cases typically resolve within two to four week.

“Most cases do not require hospital treatment. Prevention of infection hinges on the isolation of cases until fully recovered. The risk to the general population is considered low, given the low transmissibility of the virus.”