Australia Has Confirmed A Second Rare Mpox Case In Brisbane
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Queensland Health has confirmed a second Australian case of the Clade I strain of Mpox, this time in Brisbane.
Detected in a patient from the Metro South Hospital and Health Service region, the case is believed to have been acquired overseas.
This is now only the second confirmed case in Australia.
Mpox strain detected in Brisbane
Health Minister Tim Nicholls addressed public concerns, noting the limited risk of wider exposure.
“Contact tracing has been occurring, and the community can be assured that exposure to [others] has been very limited and the public should not be concerned,” he said.
Clade I Mpox has been far less common in Australia than Clade II, which has made up the majority of recent cases. Since the beginning of 2024, Queensland alone has recorded 135 confirmed Clade II Mpox cases, with most acquired locally.
Clade I, however, has been circulating more widely in parts of central and eastern Africa, with more than 30,000 cases reported. It reached Australia earlier this year via an overseas traveller in New South Wales.
Mpox was officially declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in August 2024 when they declared it a public health emergency of international concern, its highest level of alarm.
Mpox, formerly referred to as monkeypox, presents initially with flu-like symptoms with fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes followed by the appearance of a painful rash or lesions, often in the anogenital region. The virus is primarily transmitted through close or intimate contact and not easily transmissible outside of this.
The LGBTQIA+ community, particularly sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM), along with their partners remains at elevated risk. However, vaccinations are available and continue to be encouraged.
The vaccine is government funded and available across Australia through sexual health clinics and selected GPs.
It is recommended not only as post-exposure prophylaxis but also as a primary preventive measure for those planning international travel to areas with ongoing outbreaks.
In October last year ACON in NSW urged LGBTQIA+ residents to get the vaccine as case numbers in the state continued to surge.
Current advice stresses that “anyone who believes they may have mpox should contact a health facility, and inform staff before attending.”
Testing involves PCR swabs from lesions or anorectal or throat samples. Other conditions like herpes, syphilis and varicella should also be ruled out.
To minimise risk, individuals with suspected symptoms should isolate, cover any lesions and avoid contact until test results are confirmed.
With a second Clade I Mpox case now confirmed, the LGBTQIA+ community is urged to stay informed, access vaccinations, and seek early testing if symptoms arise.
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