Health officials in Queensland are scrambling to contain a rare strain of mpox, detected in a man who recently returned from Africa.
The patient, who presented to Logan Hospital, south of Brisbane, has been diagnosed with Clade 1 mpox, a viral infection that typically displays mild symptoms of fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, or fatigue, followed by a skin rash or lesions.
According to Health Minister Tim Nicholls, 19 community contacts and 40 hospital staff have been identified as potential close contacts, and are being traced and isolated.
The man’s family, including children at high school, primary school, and childcare centers, are also being isolated, although they are currently asymptomatic.
Rare Strain of Mpox: What You Need to Know
This rare strain of mpox is not easily spread between people and mostly occurs through very close or intimate contact with someone infected.
Groups at higher risk of infection include sexually active gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men and their partners.
Health authorities recommend that people traveling to areas where the Clade 1 variant is circulating, particularly Central Africa and adjacent countries, and who are likely to have sexual contact, should get vaccinated before departing.
Vaccinations for pre- and post-exposure to the disease are effective and available for free through sexual health clinics and general practitioners.
A Public Health Emergency
The mpox outbreak was declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organisation in August 2024.
It was first detected in Australia in 2022, with the number of cases spiking to more than 1400 in 2024, according to Australia’s National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System.
Only once before has Clade 1 been detected in Australia, after a returning traveler tested positive for the virus in NSW in May.