Namibia's Ministry of Health and Social Services has officially declared an mpox outbreak following the confirmation of the country's first case in Swakopmund. The announcement was made by the ministry's spokesperson, Walters Kamaya, in a media statement on Sunday, detailing that the initial case was identified on Friday.

Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a zoonotic disease caused by an orthopox virus. Its origins trace back to its discovery in monkeys in 1958, with the first human case recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The primary mode of transmission for mpox is from human to human.

According to Kamaya, the confirmed patient is currently in a stable condition and is receiving treatment in isolation at Swakopmund District Hospital. Investigations have linked this particular case to cross-border travel within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, indicating a potential regional dimension to the situation.

Kamaya emphasized that, in adherence to World Health Organization (WHO) protocols, even a single confirmed case of mpox is sufficient to constitute an official outbreak, necessitating a coordinated public health response from the authorities.