Second case of Mpox strain in Australia confirmed in Brisbane

Health officials have confirmed a case of Mpox in Brisbane’s south region, with tests confirming the strain is only the second of its kind to be reported in Australia.

Queensland Health said it had been notified of one case of overseas acquired Mpox in the Metro South Hospital and Health Service region.

Thousands of people have suffered from mpox in places such as eastern Congo.Credit: AP Photo/Moses Sawasawa

It has been confirmed as Clade I Mpox, and Queensland Health said it is monitoring the situation.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls released a statement about the case, saying it was just the second time this strain had been reported in Australia.

“Contact tracing has been occurring, and the community can be assured that exposure to members of the community has been very limited and the public should not be concerned,” he said.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a viral infection, and typically presents with symptoms including fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes. It can also be followed by a skin rash or lesions.

The virus spreads mainly through very close or intimate contact.

The virus can be caused by two strains, clade I, and clade II, and then has sub strains. In central and eastern Africa, there have been more than 30,000 cases of clade I cases, which have spread through travel to Europe, Asia, North America and South America.

In May, Australia recorded its first case of Mpox clade I in NSW, after the person travelled from overseas.

The World Health Organization declared Mpox a public health emergency of international concern last year.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says several cases in the United States have been tied to travel in West Africa, which has an outbreak of clade II.

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed was urged to contact a health facility, and inform staff before attending.

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