The second Australian case of a new strain of mpox virus has been detected in south-east Queensland.
Queensland Health confirmed yesterday a patient with the clade 1 mpox strain — known to cause more severe illness — was being treated in the Metro South Hospital and Health Service area, centred on Brisbane’s south.
In a statement, the department said there was a low danger of the virus spreading.
“The community can be assured that exposure to members of the community has been very limited and the public should not be concerned,” it said.
“Mpox does not spread easily between people and is mainly spread through very close or intimate contact with someone infected.”
High-risk groups are elegible for free mpox vaccines through sexual health clinics and GPs. (Reuters: Dado Ruvic/Illustration)
The department said the infection was acquired overseas.
Mpox is a viral infection with typically mild symptoms, including fever, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash or lesions.
It does not spread easily and is mainly acquired through close or intimate contact.
High-risk groups, including all sexually active gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, and their partners, are eligible for free vaccines through sexual health clinics and general practitioners.
The virus was first detected in Australia in 2022, with the first case of the clade 1 strain confirmed in New South Wales in May this year.
Last year, Queensland recorded 127 cases of mpox.
Anyone who suspects they may have the virus should call ahead before attending health facilities so appropriate safety measure can be put in place.