Biggest cluster of monkeypox recorded in Queensland
Urgent contact tracing is reportedly ongoing in Queensland after eight cases of Mpox, otherwise known as monkeypox, were recorded in the month of May.
Queensland Health told the ABC that the state had recorded its biggest cluster of the virus, but it is not linked to an outbreak found in Victoria last month.
Victoria had recorded 16 confirmed cases of Mpox since 18 April, with 13 of these cases locally acquired.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Seventy cases of Mpox were recorded in Victoria in 2022, before the yearly total fell to eight in 2023.
The eight cases in Queensland are all linked, with authorities now contact tracing to locate potentially more people with the disease.
High-risk groups in Queensland such as sex workers are eligible for free vaccines through sexual health clinics and GPs.
Mpox spreads from person to person through close contact with skin lesions, body fluids, respiratory droplets or contaminated objects such as bedding or clothes.
The disease can present as a mild illness with symptoms similar to influenza such as fever, headache or swelling of the lymph nodes.
Between one to three days after fever, a rash develops on the face which then can spread to other parts of the body.
Mpox was first reported in Australia in May 2022.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the Mpox outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on 23 July 2022.
On 28 July 2022, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer declared monkeypox to be a communicable disease Incident of national significance
