​Australia records sharp increase in Mpox infections

The Ministry of Health of New South Wales, Australia's largest state, has reported a sharp increase in the number of people infected with Mpox (Monkeypox), Report informs, citing NSW Health.

NSW Health is asking the community to be aware of symptoms of Mpox following a recent increase in infections.

There have been 93 notifications of Mpox in NSW since 1 June 2024. Before 1 June, only one case had been detected in NSW in 2024. In 2022, 56 mpox notifications were reported in NSW, and in 2023 there were 12. ​

Since 2022, there has been a global outbreak of Mpox, with over 97,000 reported cases in many countries outside Africa, including Australia.

NSW Health Executive Director of Health Protection, Dr Jeremy McAnulty said there have been over 15,000 cases of Mpox reported in central Africa this year, many of which are due to a new strain (clade 1b) of the virus. However, this strain has not been detected in Australia.

“With the recent increase in cases, NSW Health is asking people who may be at risk of Mpox to stay on the lookout for symptoms,” Dr McAnulty said.