ACT health officials urge vaccination amid surge in mpox cases

Eligible Canberrans are being encouraged to consider getting vaccinated against mpox amid a resurgence of the virus in parts of Australia.

Transcript

00:00MPOX was first reported in Australia back in 2022, when there was a global increase

00:07in infections in multiple countries where the illness is not usually seen.

00:12It triggered the World Health Organization to declare MPOX a global health emergency.

00:17That declaration was rescinded after about a year.

00:21In 2022, there were 144 cases recorded in Australia, three of them were in the ACT.

00:29Last year, just one case was recorded here, but so far this year, there have been nine

00:34cases detected, including five in the past month.

00:38Several Australian jurisdictions have also observed increased case numbers.

00:43This means infections this year have surpassed the 2022 outbreak.

00:48MPOX spreads through close physical contact, and health authorities here in the ACT are

00:54encouraging people who are eligible to get vaccinated.

00:58Those include sexually active men who have sex with other men, their partners, and sex

01:03workers.

01:04Meridian, in partnership with Canberra Sexual Health, is providing free MPOX vaccinations

01:09to eligible people at a pop-up clinic we're holding this Friday the 2nd of August.

01:14We're encouraging all eligible people to get vaccinated and be aware for MPOX symptoms.

01:19MPOX mainly causes a rash alongside other symptoms, including fever, headaches and muscle

01:25pain.

01:26For most people, symptoms will clear up on their own after two to four weeks.