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South African scientists have urged the government to bring back some coronavirus-curbing measures, after the country recorded its first case of monkeypox.

The plea from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) comes a week after South Africa ended mandatory mask-wearing, border checks for Covid-19, and size limits on social gatherings.

A 30-year-old Gauteng man tested positive for monkeypox last week, Health Minister Joe Phaahla recently confirmed.

He said the patient had no travel history and the virus could not have been acquired outside South Africa.

Monkeypox, caused by a similar virus to smallpox, can be spread when someone is in close contact with an infected person. Infections are usually mild.

It occurs mostly in remote parts of central and west African countries, near tropical rainforests.