News
Two locally acquired mpox cases in WA
Thursday August 22, 2024
WA Health is asking people at risk of contracting mpox (monkeypox) to be vigilant after recording two locally acquired cases of the virus in WA.
WA Health’s Communicable Disease Control Director, Dr Paul Armstrong said high-risk groups in the community should be alert for symptoms and seek testing promptly.
“Mpox infections have been increasing in Australia over the past few months – particularly among sexually active men who have sex with men and through higher risk activities such as casual sex and multiple partners,” Dr Armstrong said.
“If you have any symptoms suggestive of mpox – even if they are mild and even if you have had the mpox vaccine – you should contact your GP or sexual health service for an appointment.
“Wear a mask, call ahead and cover up any rashes, bumps or pimple-like sores.”
Speaking to Channel 9, AMA (WA) President Dr Michael Page called for vigilance.
“It is cause for concern,” he said. “The virus is changing over time and it has been mutating, which is probably making it more infectious.”
Mpox can be spread from person-to-person through skin-to-skin contact, including during sex, and contact with contaminated items such as bedding and towels, and rarely, through breathing in droplets from coughs and sneezes.
Symptoms usually start within five days to three weeks of exposure to the virus and may include a rash that can look like bumps, pimples or sores, which later develop into fluid-filled lesions, pustules or ulcers.
Some people also have fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, or enlarged lymph glands.
The local cases – which are still being investigated – are the milder clade II strain of mpox and are not connected to the more severe clade Ib strain of mpox which is spreading through west and central Africa.
In the latest edition of Medicus, Dr Daniel Vujcich, CEO of WAAC, said an Australian qualitative study of patient experiences during the 2022 outbreak of the disease emphasised the importance of adopting a non-judgmental and empathetic approach to mpox management.
“The majority of study respondents reported feeling judged for their sexual practices, being treated disrespectfully due to fears around contagion, and having their symptoms downplayed which led to inadequate pain management,” he said. The authors concluded that:
While public health responses are often focussed on containing, reducing, and eliminating onward transmissions, this study suggests that it is vital to also prioritise quality of patient care, especially during emergency contexts and where there is potential for compounding stigmatisation. The ‘positive’ instances of care narrated by participants involved staff explicitly challenging negative stereotypes and ideas about blame, acknowledging the distressing nature of the situation, and explaining why PPE was being used.
For more information and support go to Monkeypox (healthywa.wa.gov.au) or contact the sexual health hotline 9227 6178 (metro) or 1800 198 205 (country).
