Key Points
- Australia has recorded more than double the number of mpox cases than during the last outbreak in 2022.
- The outbreak in Australia is less severe than the type that is causing serious illness and deaths in Central Africa.
- Sexual transmission is primarily how mpox is spread in Australia, and LGBTIQ+ people are most at risk.
“It was pretty bad. I say nine out of 10 and I really mean nine out of 10. It wasn’t like I was screaming but it got to the point, before I went to the emergency department, that I was on the floor in agony,” he said.
What surprised Jack was how long his symptoms lingered: “This pain lasted for six weeks. It was a really long slog.”
Sexual health doctor Tom Morley from Thorne Harbour Health says Jack’s case is out of the ordinary. Source: SBS News
Dr Tom Morley from Thorne Harbour Health in Melbourne said symptoms usually last two to three weeks, describing Jack’s case as out of the ordinary.
“That person is very unlucky. The majority of people we’re seeing are probably sitting somewhere in the three-week mark, starting out with some systemic features like a headache, fever, muscle ache followed on sometimes by the typical skin rash,” he said.
Australia has recorded 353 cases this year as of 29 August, more than double the number during the last outbreak in 2022 when there were 144 cases.
“We see lots of people who have just had one vaccination, lots of people who have had both vaccinations, still presenting with symptoms but much less severe than had they not had the vaccinations,” he said.
The sex-on-premises venue caters for all genders but when it first opened more than 20 years ago, it was exclusively for men who have sex with other men.
Sex-on-premises venue Wet on Wellington has put up mpox warning signs and conducted on-site testing and vaccination clinics. Source: Supplied
General manager Shane Gardner said the venue responded to the first mpox outbreak in 2022 by putting up warning signs and conducting on-site testing and vaccination clinics.
“We formulated a plan to put the posters up and to mitigate the problem. I think the government needs to throw more money at it to start with to the likes of Thorne Harbour Health because they’re the main people who are driving it,” he said.
One of the mpox warning signs inside Wet on Wellington. Source: SBS News
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr Clare Looker has encouraged at-risk people to consider reducing their number of sexual partners and has encouraged them to keep contact details for contact tracing.
“Of course, be double-vaccinated, that’s step one. I got it while I was double-vaccinated but who knows how much worse it could have been if I wasn’t vaccinated, just like COVID.”