Victoria’s Health Chief Brett Sutton Thanks Gay & Bisexual Men Over Monkeypox response

Victoria has not seen a new Monkeypox infection in the past few weeks. While it is too early to celebrate, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton thanked gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men for the turnaround. 

Sutton’s comments came even as Australia’s health minister Mark Butler said that the growth of monkeypox infection in the country appear to be stabilising. 

“It does appear that new infection numbers are stabilising significantly in the area of monkeypox. The latest data I had is that there have been about 135 infections in total since monkeypox first appeared in Australia,” Butler said, in response to questions from journalists at a press conference on Monday. 

“Only about three new cases have been reported over the last seven to 10 days and the reporting period before that there are about only five new cases. We can take some confidence that those numbers of new infections are stabilising substantially,” the minister informed. 

CDC Reports 65,000 Monkeypox Cases

With the US Centres for Disease Control reporting around 65,000 cases in non-endemic countries (monkeypox is endemic in Central and West Africa), the threat of new cases being reported in Australia in the coming months remains. 

The minister revealed that the first batch of 22,000 doses of third generation JYNNEOS vaccines are being administered.  

“That’s being now administered in a very productive way in particularly the two major states but elsewhere as well. And we are due to receive an additional 78,000 doses very shortly. Once those time frames are a little clearer I’ll be able to provide further advice about second doses,” said minister Butler. 

Australia had managed to secure JYNNEOS vaccine doses in August, with around 100,000 doses arriving this year and around 350,000 doses scheduled to arrive next year.

Last month, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) approved the intra-dermal administration of JYNNEOS vaccines for those who are not severely immunocompromised.

Australia’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Michael Kidd told Star Observer earlier this month that administering the vaccine doses intra-dermally means more people could be protected. Administering the vaccines intra-dermally allows for vaccination of four or five people with the same dose that was used previously via the subcutaneous route to get to one person.

Monkeypox Risk Will Continues For Some Time, Warns Sutton

Particular thanks to the MSM / GBM community as this has turned around because of their responsiveness and engagement. With over 60,000 cases globally the risk will continue for some time, so MPX vaccination will be really important to manage risk now and into the future. 2/3

— Chief Health Officer, Victoria (@VictorianCHO) September 23, 2022

In his tweet earlier this week, Sutton confirmed that the rate of new infections are slowing down in Victoria for now. Since the first cases were reported in May, Victoria recorded 67 cases of monkeypox and at present there are three active cases. 

“Victoria has had no MPX cases for a few weeks now, having had significantly early growth in cases. Lo and behold, those pillars of a public health response work. Case isolation, contact tracing and early testing through close engagement with at-risk communities. Well done!” said Sutton. 

“Particular thanks to the MSM / GBM community as this has turned around because of their responsiveness and engagement. With over 60,000 cases globally the risk will continue for some time, so MPX vaccination will be really important to manage risk now and into the future,” added the state CHO.

• In Victoria, you can register your interest in getting vaccinated for Monkeypox on the Victorian Health Department website or with Thorne Harbour Health.

• For information about getting vaccinated for Monkeypox in NSW, check the ACON website.