Victorian health officials are urging people to get vaccinated against mpox (formerly monkeypox), after a 25% increase in cases in the state over the past fortnight.
The state has recorded 80 cases this year, up from eight in 2023.
The Victorian health department is urging people to reduce their risk by considering contact tracing sexual partners or “limiting the number of intimate partners”.
Here’s what we know.
Mpox
Mpox is a viral illness. The first human case was detected in 1970, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a nine-month-old boy.
Mpox is primarily spread between people through close or prolonged skin-to-skin contact. Symptoms of the virus include fever and rashes.
In 2022, the World Health Organization declared a public health emergency after a global outbreak. Cases of mpox have increased in recent weeks in Victoria.
Victoria
71 of the 80 mpox cases recorded i Victoria this year are believed to have been locally acquired.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Clare Looker said: “While the current outbreak has predominantly impacted men who have sex with men, anyone who has been in close, and usually prolonged, intimate contact with someone with mpox is at risk.”
Vaccines
Victoria updated the eligibility criteria for its free vaccines earlier this year to encourage uptake.
Healthcare providers are urged to test for mpox in all patients presenting symptoms, especially those with risk factors.
“One of the best ways to protect yourself against mpox is to get vaccinated — it’s vital that you have two doses of the vaccine for optimal protection,” Looker said.
