Latest news with #Mpox
The Australian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Australian
Queensland Health confirms rare strain of monkeypox detected in Metro South region
An urgent health alert has been issued after a strain of monkeypox - confirmed to be a strain known to cause a widespread 'pox-like' rash - was detected in a returned Australian travelled. Queensland Health confirmed the case of monkeypox (Mpox) was detected in the state's Metro South region. Testing revealed it to be the Clade 1 strain of the virus - marking the second time in history the more serious strain has ever been detected in Australia. A Clade 1 strain of the monkeypox virus was detected in a returned Australian traveller, Queensland Health has confirmed. Picture: Supplied The case was acquired overseas but authorities say the risk to the wider community is very low. Queensland Health confirmed exposure to the public had been limited and contact tracing was underway after the detection. According to the Australian Immunisation Handbook, the symptoms of Mpox can include fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache and muscle aches, followed by a rash within 2-4 days of infection. It spreads primarily through close or intimate contact. Complications of the virus can range from bacterial infections to enciphalitus and pneumonia. The Clade 1 strain of the virus is known cause higher numbers of severe illnesses. Queensland Health said public exposure has been limited. Picture: NewsWire/Glenn Campbell Free Mpox vaccines are available to high-risk groups through sexual health clinics and GPs. 'Vaccination is available for post-exposure prophylaxis as well as primary preventive vaccination. High risk groups, including all sexually active gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men and their partners, are eligible for free vaccines through sexual health clinics and general practitioners,' Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said. Minister for Health Tim Nicholls said Queensland health was monitoring the situation. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard Two doses are recommended for optimal protection. Those travelling to areas with Clade 1 transmission are encouraged to get vaccinated before departure. Queensland Health is monitoring the situation.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Economic Times
Health emergency: Deadly Mpox strain Clade 1 hits Australia, only the 2nd case ever
IANS Rare and dangerous mpox strain detected in Queensland A rare and more dangerous strain of the Mpox virus, known as Clade 1, has been confirmed in Queensland, marking the first-ever case in the state and only the second known detection of this strain in Australia's history. Queensland Health officials say the individual had recently returned from overseas and was diagnosed while seeking care at Logan Hospital in the state's Metro South region. Contact tracing is currently underway, and public health teams are working to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed. 'Clade 1 is notorious for causing a more widespread rash, big blisters or pox-like lesions, typically all over the body,' said Dr. Paul Griffin, infectious diseases expert. 'And because it is more severe, they can have other symptoms like high fevers.'The virus, previously known as monkeypox, spreads primarily through close, prolonged, or intimate contact, including skin-to-skin contact or exposure to bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials like clothing or bedding. The patient is in isolation, and authorities say there is no current threat to the broader community. Mpox Clade 1 is far more severe than Clade 2, the milder strain that caused most of Australia's 2022 outbreak. Clade 1 has been associated with higher rates of complications, including secondary infections and in rare cases, first Australian case of Clade 1 was reported in New South Wales in May 2025, also in a traveler returning from Africa. Clade 1 is more common in Central Africa and has been spreading more widely in the past year, prompting increased surveillance globally. What is MPox?Mpox is a viral infection similar to smallpox, but typically milder. It causes fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic blistering rash. What makes Clade 1 different? Clade 1 is a more dangerous strain. It causes larger, widespread blisters, more severe fever, and sometimes serious complications. It has a higher mortality rate than Clade 2, particularly in countries with limited healthcare access. How does Mpox spread? Mpox spreads through: Close or intimate contact (skin-to-skin, kissing, sex) Contact with lesions or scabs Respiratory droplets in close, prolonged face-to-face interaction Contaminated clothing, bedding, or surfaces Who is at risk?While anyone can contract Mpox, the risk is higher for: People with multiple intimate partners Travelers returning from endemic areas Close contacts of confirmed cases Healthcare and frontline workers Is there a vaccine?Yes. Australia offers free MPox vaccines to high-risk individuals. Two doses are recommended for full protection. Contact your local sexual health clinic or GP to book.
7NEWS
3 days ago
- Health
- 7NEWS
Contact tracing ongoing after rare mpox strain detected in Logan
Authorities fear the number of hospital contacts could grow as they trace health staff after a rare strain of mpox was detected in an overseas traveller. Health officials in Queensland believe 19 community contacts and 40 staff at a hospital have been exposed to the man, who recently returned to Australia from Africa. The patient was diagnosed with a rare strain of Clade 1 mpox after he presented to Logan Hospital, south of Brisbane. But he was not contagious during his journey to Australia, health officials say. 'Those close contacts that he has been in contact, including at the emergency ward and in other locations, are being contact traced right now and identified at this stage,' Health Minister Tim Nicholls said on Sunday. 'At the moment his family are asymptomatic, that is, they're not showing any signs of the Clade 1 mpox, but they are isolating.' The man's family includes children at high school, primary school and childcare centres and those institutions are being identified, Nicholls said. Health officials do not expect the number of community contacts to increase, but the number of hospital contacts could grow. Mpox is 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. 'The contagion window we define as being four days before the onset of symptoms, until after the skin lesions have crusted over,' Dr Geoffrey Playford from Metro South Hospital Service said. There have been 135 cases of Clade 2 mpox in Queensland over the past year. Only once before has Clade 1 been detected in Australia, after a returning traveller tested positive for the virus in NSW in May. The disease does 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. People travelling to areas where the Clave 1 variant is circulating - particularly Central Africa and adjacent countries - and who are likely to have sexual contact are recommended to have a vaccine before departing. Health authorities say vaccinations for pre- and post-exposure to the disease are effective and are available for free through sexual health clinics and general practitioners. Two doses of vaccine are needed for optimal protection. 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.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
Health emergency: Deadly Mpox strain Clade 1 hits Australia, only the 2nd case ever
A rare and more dangerous strain of the Mpox virus, known as Clade 1, has been confirmed in Queensland, marking the first-ever case in the state and only the second known detection of this strain in Australia's history. Queensland Health officials say the individual had recently returned from overseas and was diagnosed while seeking care at Logan Hospital in the state's Metro South region. Contact tracing is currently underway, and public health teams are working to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Data Analytics Leadership Others Design Thinking Cybersecurity healthcare others Product Management MCA Management Digital Marketing Degree MBA Operations Management Data Science Healthcare Artificial Intelligence Finance Public Policy Data Science Project Management CXO Technology PGDM Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Visualization Predictive Analytics & Machine Learning Business Intelligence & Data-Driven Decision Making Analytics Strategy & Implementation Duration: 12 Weeks Indian School of Business Applied Business Analytics Starts on Jun 13, 2024 Get Details 'Clade 1 is notorious for causing a more widespread rash, big blisters or pox-like lesions, typically all over the body,' said Dr. Paul Griffin, infectious diseases expert. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unbelievable: Calculator Shows The Value Of Your House Instantly (Take a Look) Home Value Calculator Search Now Undo 'And because it is more severe, they can have other symptoms like high fevers.' The virus, previously known as monkeypox, spreads primarily through close, prolonged, or intimate contact, including skin-to-skin contact or exposure to bodily fluids, respiratory droplets, or contaminated materials like clothing or bedding. Live Events The patient is in isolation, and authorities say there is no current threat to the broader community. Rare but serious threat Mpox Clade 1 is far more severe than Clade 2, the milder strain that caused most of Australia's 2022 outbreak. Clade 1 has been associated with higher rates of complications, including secondary infections and in rare cases, death. The first Australian case of Clade 1 was reported in New South Wales in May 2025, also in a traveler returning from Africa. Clade 1 is more common in Central Africa and has been spreading more widely in the past year, prompting increased surveillance globally. FAQs What is MPox? Mpox is a viral infection similar to smallpox, but typically milder. It causes fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a characteristic blistering rash. What makes Clade 1 different? Clade 1 is a more dangerous strain. It causes larger, widespread blisters, more severe fever, and sometimes serious complications. It has a higher mortality rate than Clade 2, particularly in countries with limited healthcare access. How does Mpox spread? Mpox spreads through: Close or intimate contact (skin-to-skin, kissing, sex) Contact with lesions or scabs Respiratory droplets in close, prolonged face-to-face interaction Contaminated clothing, bedding, or surfaces Who is at risk? While anyone can contract Mpox, the risk is higher for: People with multiple intimate partners Travelers returning from endemic areas Close contacts of confirmed cases Healthcare and frontline workers Is there a vaccine? Yes. Australia offers free MPox vaccines to high-risk individuals. Two doses are recommended for full protection. Contact your local sexual health clinic or GP to book.
The Age
3 days ago
- Health
- The Age
Almost 60 close contacts identified in Brisbane Mpox outbreak
Almost 60 people identified as close contacts to a confirmed case of Mpox in Brisbane's south have been offered a vaccine and are isolating, as Queensland Health works to trace further potential exposures. Health Minister Tim Nicholls said the infected man had acquired the illness overseas, and had not been contagious on his flight into Australia from Africa. 'We think there are 19 community contacts and 40 staff contacts that have been in contact with the patient,' Nicholls said. 'The patient has a close family, and that family is isolating at home. 'At the moment, his family are asymptomatic – that is, they're not showing any signs of the 'clade I Mpox'.' Nicholls said other close contacts were primarily in the emergency ward at Logan Hospital, where the man had presented with symptoms, but that his family had children of primary and high school age, as well as smaller children in childcare. 'Those high schools, primary schools, and childcare centres either have been or are in the process of being identified,' he said. Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that spreads mainly through very close or intimate contact. The strain detected in Logan Hospital this week is only the second of its kind to be reported in Australia. In May, the first recorded case of Mpox clade I was identified in NSW, in a person who had travelled overseas.
