SA Health has been notified of three locally acquired cases of mpox (formerly called monkeypox) in a man in his 20’s, a man in his 30s and a man in his 50s.
There have been 67 cases of mpox in Australia this year with 45 of these cases reported in Victoria.
Mpox is a viral infection that usually results in a mild illness. Most people recover within a few weeks however some people may develop severe illness and require hospitalisation.
Vaccination reduces the risk of transmission and the severity of the disease with two doses required for optimal protection.
The free mpox vaccine is available for eligible groups including close contacts of mpox cases and all sexually active gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men.
Mpox can spread from person-to-person through close or prolonged skin-to-skin contact, for example during sexual contact, as well as contact with contaminated items or surfaces.
Symptoms can occur up to 21 days after exposure and may include fever, chills, tiredness, headache, sore throat, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and rash which can appear as vesicles, pustules or ulcers.
People with mpox are considered infectious from the time they develop their first symptoms and until rash lesions have crusted, scabs have fallen off and a fresh layer of skin has formed underneath.
There have been three cases of mpox in South Australia this year with no cases reported last year. A total of two cases were recorded in 2022.
