Acting Director Cairns Sexual Health Service, Dr Hardeep Kang
Partygoers are being urged by public health officials to ‘play safe’ during the upcoming Cairns Pride Festival, amid confirmed cases of mpox in Queensland.
Local cases of mpox (previously known as monkey pox) have not yet been identified in the Cairns region, but there have been at least 61 confirmed cases in Queensland this year, with cases spiking in August and September.
Mpox is an infection caused by a virus belonging to the same family as smallpox viruses.
Mpox does not spread easily between people and is mainly spread through very close or intimate contact with someone infected with the disease.
People most at risk in Australia are gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men, especially anyone having sex overseas or with overseas travellers.
‘Playing safe’ means reducing sexual partners, not sharing sex toys and routinely checking for symptoms for both you and your partners.
Symptoms of mpox include:
- rash or skin lesions
- fever
- headache
- back pain and muscle aches
- fatigue
- swelling of the lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy)
- pain on urination or rectal pain, discharge or bleeding.
Cairns Sexual Health Service acting director Dr Hardeep Kang said mpox was usually a mild illness, with symptoms starting between 5-21 days after an infection.
‘The important thing to know about mpox is that most people recover within a few weeks,’ Dr Kang said.
‘However, it is important we limit the spread of this illness as some people may develop a more severe illness or complications, particularly those who have a weakened immune system.’
She said there was a safe and effective vaccine for mpox, which were available through the Cairns Sexual Health Service. Two doses of the vaccine, given 28 days apart, provide 80% protection against mpox.
‘The free mpox vaccine is available to people at greater risk of infection through sexual health clinics and some GPs,’ she said.
‘Individuals eligible for the mpox vaccination at no cost include sexually active gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men (cis and trans) and their sexual partners; and sex workers.’
She said other ways to protect yourself from mpox included avoiding contact with people who have mpox or mpox symptoms; including their clothing, bedding or towels; and practising good hand hygiene.
‘We are also warning people to be aware of the risk of mpox if you are planning to have sex or attend large or intimate social gatherings such as raves, parties, clubs or festivals,’ she said.
‘Condoms may not completely protect someone from mpox as transmission can occur during any skin-to-skin contact but do protect against many other sexually transmitted infections. To reduce your risk of mpox, reduce sexual partners, don’t share sex toys and routinely check for symptoms (both you and your partners).
‘If you have had contact with someone with mpox, please contact your local GP, sexual health clinic, or public health unit.
‘If you have symptoms of mpox, avoid contact with others and seek medical attention from a GP or local sexual health clinic wearing a mask, and covering any exposed skin lesions.’
View more information about mpox, including the vaccine.