Monkeypox – be informed and aware

Gippsland Region Public Health Unit (GRPHU) is encouraging people to be aware of the increase in Monkeypox cases occurring in Victoria.

While there are currently no reported positive cases in Gippsland, as of August 5, there have been 22 cases of Monkeypox recorded in Victoria.

GRPHU Operations Director, Annelies Titulaer, said Monkeypox was not a new disease and had mainly been transmitted from infected animals to people. However, in this current outbreak we were seeing person-to-person transmission.

“People with Monkeypox are contagious from the time they develop symptoms until the lesions have healed,” Ms Titulaer explained.

“Monkeypox can be spread through direct contact with body fluids or a rash, it can also be spread through indirect contact with contaminated towels, bedding or clothing.”

Monkeypox can also be transmitted without symptoms.

Monkeypox symptoms may include fever, headache, aches, fatigue, sweats and chills, cough, sore throat and a rash that can look like blisters or pimples.

“Monkeypox can affect anyone, but in this current outbreak we are finding that men who have sex with men are at the highest risk at the moment,” Ms Titulaer explained.

“Individuals can help reduce spread by keeping contact details of sexual partners in case of the need to follow up, avoiding sex if they have a rash until they get tested, and if diagnosed with Monkeypox, staying at home and isolating until they have recovered.”

GRPHU currently has limited supply of Monkeypox vaccine for those eligible. Until stocks are supplied, the unit is encouraging people to contact one of the following clinics to discuss accessing the vaccine;

• Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (Initially vaccinating eligible individuals who are identified at-risk during routine clinic appointments): www.mshc.org.au/
• Thorne Harbour Health” thorneharbour.org/lgbti-health/pronto/
• Northside Clinic: northsideclinic.net.au/
• Collins Street Medical Centre: collinsstmedicalcentre.com.au/
• Prahran Market Clinic: www.prahranmarketclinic.com/

“We are expecting that more health services and clinics will be able to provide the vaccine locally as additional stock becomes available from next month,” Ms Titulaer said.

Those currently eligible for a Monkeypox vaccine include;

• Post exposure vaccination for high-risk close contacts of Monkeypox cases
• Laboratory workers who analyse specimens from Monkeypox cases
• Sexually active HIV positive or negative gay and bisexual men or men who have sex with men (including cis and trans men) who fulfil additional criteria
• Sex workers, particularly those who clients fit into the high-risk category above

Visit Department of Health Monkeypox disease information website for more information www.health.vic.gov.au/infectious-diseases/monkeypox.

If you test positive for Monkeypox, your health professional will contact you to provide advice and GRPHU will help to identify any close contacts (and whether they are at a high, medium or low risk), and assist with supporting your recovery.