NSW Health Issues Mpox Warning

NSW Health is sounding the alarm about a rise in mpox cases across the state, urging people to stay alert for symptoms.

Since June, there have been 93 notifications of mpox in New South Wales, a significant jump from just one case earlier this year. Most of the recent cases have been among men who have had sexual contact with other men.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty, the Executive Director of Health Protection at NSW Health, explained that the strain of the virus identified in Australia is different from what is seen in other parts of the world.

He emphasized the need for people at risk to be mindful of potential symptoms. Mpox can spread through close skin-to-skin contact, particularly during sexual activities, and typically starts with small pimple-like lesions that often appear in hard-to-see areas such as the genitals, anus, or buttock.

In addition to the skin lesions, common symptoms of mpox include a mild fever, headaches, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, mouth ulcers, and rectal pain.

NSW Health is recommending the mpox vaccine for individuals deemed at higher risk. This includes sexually active gay or bisexual men, both cisgender and transgender, as well as their partners and sex workers.

To ensure protection against severe illness, it’s important for anyone who has received only one dose of the vaccine to get their second dose within 28 days after the first.