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Second person dies from mpox in South Africa
A second person has died from mpox in South Africa, the health minister has announced, less than 24 hours after the country’s first death from the virus was reported.
The two men, aged 37 and 38, were tested and shown to have died as a result of the virus, said minister Joe Phaahla.
Mr Phaahla said that six cases had now been recorded in the country this year – two in Gauteng, and four in KwaZulu-Natal. They were all classed as severe and required hospitalisation.
All diagnosed men were aged between 30 and 39, who had not been to other countries experiencing an outbreak – suggesting that the disease was being transmitted locally.
Mpox, formerly called monkeypox, is a viral infection transmitted through close contact. Initial symptoms include fever, headaches, swellings, back pain, aching muscles, which can develop into a rash.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared a public health emergency over an outbreak of mpox in 2022. Although this was ended last year, low levels of cases are still being reported in some countries. “One death is too many, especially from a preventable and manageable disease,” Mr Phaahla said on Wednesday, urging those with suspected symptoms to seek medical attention and help trace contacts.
Mr Phaahla said the six diagnosed patients had pre-existing immuno-deficiencies, and had contracted the disease since the start of May. He noted that the virus has been reported in over 100 countries since 2022.
Two of those infected have been allowed to go home, while two remain in hospital.
Anyone who came into contact with a fatality will be monitored for 21 days.
The first human case was reported in Democratic Republic of Congo in 1970, and the disease remains endemic there, according to the WHO.
[BBC]
In the recent past, factors such as population growth, expansion of development activities, and deforestation in Sri Lanka have resulted in the loss of traditional migratory routes and the destruction of habitats of wild elephants.
Consequently, a continuous and rapid escalation of the human-elephant conflict has been observed over a long period, spanning 19 out of the 25 districts and 134 out of the 341 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the country.
According to the wild elephant census conducted in 2024, the wild elephant population in the country is estimated to be approximately 7,450. It is reported that the human-elephant
conflict accounts for a significant number of human fatalities and wild elephant deaths annually.
Furthermore, over a thousand incidents of property damage caused by wild elephants are recorded each year.
Although a ‘National Action Plan to Mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict in Sri Lanka’ was formulated in 2020, the dynamics of the current human-elephant conflict have evolved substantially since then, necessitating the formulation of a new national action plan.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Environment to take the necessary steps to draft a new National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Management.
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Cabinet green light to host 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum – Asia and Pacific Regions from 23 – 26 June in Sri Lanka
Hosting the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum – Asia and Pacific Regions in Sri Lanka
An invitation has been extended to Sri Lanka to host two major regional aviation security summits: the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific (CASP-AP) and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum (RASCF).
The Steering Committee of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific serves as the primary decision-making body for the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) cooperative aviation security program in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sri Lanka is scheduled to assume the chairmanship of the said Steering Committee for the 2026-2027 term during this summit.
The Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum for the Asia and Pacific regions serves as a regional platform to deliberate on emerging threats, the implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), capacity-building activities, and coordination among member states and international
organizations.
Approximately 80 delegates, including representatives from 41 member states, international organizations, and observers, are expected to participate in these two summits.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation to host the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific on the 23rd and 24th of June 2026, and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum – Asia and Pacific Regions on the 25th and 26th of June 2026 in Sri Lanka.
Latest News
Committee to examine the feasibility of operating all functions related to the Employees’ Provident Fund and the Employees’ Trust Fund under an integrated governance framework
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Labour to appoint a Committee comprising Senior Officials to examine the feasibility and submit recommendations on bringing all operations of the Employees’
Provident Fund and the Employees’ Trust Fund under an integrated governance framework managed by a tripartite board representing the Government, employers, and employees.
This initiative aims to align with international best practices while ensuring comprehensive legal and financial security for the assets of the members
Complaint of custodial deaths and torture submitted to UN
India provides military stores worth USD 5.5 mn to SL
India promotes INR-LKR settlement mechanism
UK Trade Envoy here for high-level trade and investment engagements
Govt. failure to fill top two courts’ vacancies leaves Judiciary in a conundrum
UNDP, Central Bank deepen financial literacy drive to build economic resilience
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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