South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa says he prays the monkeypox outbreak does not reach the country.
Outbreaks of the virus have recently been found in Europe, Australia, America and the Middle East.
In Africa, Morocco and Sudan are investigating suspected cases, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
“I would hope that monkeypox does not come our way and we pray and hope for that. We will obviously want to be ready if it were ever to descend on South Africa so that we can continue, once again, to defend our people and make sure our health is safeguarded,” President Ramaphosa told a media briefing on Thursday.
“We wish those countries well that are now having to deal with monkeypox, we wish them strength and whenever we’re called upon to give assistance, we would be ready and willing to give assistance.
Africa CDC has advised African countries to scale up surveillance and testing.
Monkeypox, a mild viral infection, can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person.
It is usually associated with travel to central or West Africa, near tropical forests.
BBC