Monkeypox: what is it, and should we be worried?

Monkeypox has been detected in Australia.

A case was confirmed at The Alfred Hospital on Friday.

Another case has also been detected in NSW.

There are now 14 countries with confirmed cases of monkeypox, with more than 80 infections been recorded across the US, Canada, Europe and Australia.

But director of infectious diseases at Mater Health Services, Associate Professor Paul Griffin, says there’s no need to be alarmed.

“It’s good that we raise awareness so if there are any cases out there people know what to look for and how to get tested,” he told Ross and Russel.

“But this is a virus that’s fortunately quite difficult to transmit … It’s not going to be the next pandemic or anything.”

Monkeypox is spread via direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids.

Professor Griffin says it begins with symptoms such as fever, headache and swollen glands, then lesions appear four or five days later.

“The characteristic of it is those blisters, those sores, so if someone does have an unusual rash they should get that checked out,” he said.

Fortunately, vaccines used for smallpox work effectively against monkeypox.

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