Four cases of mpox - formerly known as monkeypox - were recorded in Hunter New England last month, health data shows. Login or signup to continue reading This was also the total number of cases recorded in the district this year, following one last year and one the year before. University of Newcastle Professor Nathan Bartlett said mpox was "a relative of the now eradicated human pathogen variola virus - the causative agent of smallpox".
"Mpox is not as transmissible as variola virus. Mpox relies on close human to human contact," Professor Bartlett said. He said the spread of mpox was troubling, but vaccines against viruses like variola and mpox were "highly effective".
"Indeed, smallpox is the only viral disease to be completely eradicated by vaccination. "So with a co-ordinated international response - surveillance, education, vaccination - control of this outbreak and future outbreaks is achievable." Professor Bartlett, of Hunter Medical Research Institute , said "right now the biggest concern is Africa - the Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding countries".
He said people who go to areas where outbreaks were occurring could then bring the disease back to Australia. "If you're travelling to those places, you should take precautions, be aware of the symptoms and respond appropriately," he said. "If the virus starts circulating in our community, that takes it to another order of magnitude.
"That's the important thing to discriminate between - people coming back with t.