WALVIS BAY – The Ministry of Health and Social Services is currently on high alert after the first Mpox case was detected in Swakopmund on Saturday.
According to the ministry, the patient is currently in a stable condition and in isolation at the Swakopmund District Hospital.
The case was detected on 18 October 2025, and the patient is in a stable condition in isolation at the Swakopmund District Hospital.
The ministry on Saturday declared the outbreak in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols, which considers a single confirmed case as an outbreak.
Preliminary investigations linked the Mpox transmission to a history of cross-border
travel within the Southern African Development Community.
A statement issued yesterday by the ministry indicated that the identification of additional cases and monitoring of immediate contacts is ongoing through the health authorities in the Erongo region.
“The surveillance system is prepared to respond to Mpox and other disease outbreaks. We wish to reassure the public that Namibia is adequately prepared to respond to public health emergencies and disease outbreaks, such as Mpox. Isolation facilities across the country are readily available or have been repurposed to accommodate suspected infectious diseases that may require hospitalisation,” the ministry said in the statement.
According to WHO, Mpox is a zoonotic disease caused by an orthopox virus. It spreads between humans and animals and causes a smallpox-like illness in humans. The current outbreak is mainly spread through human-to-human contact.
Meanwhile Namibians are reminded that anyone can contract Mpox and that it is not linked to any specific group or race.
Transmission occurs through direct contact with skin lesions, respiratory droplets, bodily fluids, or contaminated objects like beddings and clothing.
“People with Mpox are infectious while they have symptoms, which normally last between two to four weeks, or until the crusts that have formed separate and a fresh layer of skin has developed,” the statement reads.
Common symptoms include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, and a rash that develops into blisters before crusting over.
Namibians are now urged to remain vigilant and practise preventive measures. “Several steps can also be taken to prevent infection, including isolating infected patients, practising good hand hygiene, avoiding direct contact with contaminated materials, and using personal protective equipment when caring for patients.
Since its discovery in monkeys in 1958 and humans in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mpox has spread globally.
Seventeen African countries currently report active outbreaks, including Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and the DRC.
According to online reports, as of October 2025, Africa has reported a total of 118 452 confirmed Mpox cases for the year, surpassing the previous year’s total of 80 297 cases.