Date issued: 3 June 2022 (update to 25 May 2022)
Issued by: Associate Professor Deborah Friedman, Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease)
Issued to: Health professionals and the Victorian community
Key messages
- Monkeypox is a rare disease that is caused by infection with the monkeypox virus.
- Since mid-May 2022 there have been cases of monkeypox reported from several countries that are not endemic for monkeypox virus, and local transmission has occurred in these countries.
- Monkeypox may spread from person-to-person through skin-to skin contact, contact with infected surfaces or items, and respiratory droplets.
- To date there have been two unrelated cases notified in Victoria.
- The second case is a man in his 30s who returned from the United Kingdom and is isolating away from the community.
- The Department of Health is contacting a small number of people who have been in contact with the case.
- Anyone developing symptoms that may be consistent with Monkeypox should seek medical care, wearing a mask and calling ahead to make sure they can be isolated away from others.
- Clinicians should consider testing for monkeypox in returned travellers with compatible symptoms.
- Read the full Alert: Health warning on monkeypox.
