Date issued: 10 June 2022 (update to 3 June 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 be spread from person-to-person through skin-to-skin contact, contact with infected surfaces or items, and respiratory droplets.
- To date there have been three unrelated cases notified in Victoria.
- The third case is a man in his 40s who returned from Europe 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
