Australia, once praised for effectively eliminating mpox within six months in 2022, is now facing a concerning resurgence. Despite earlier success due to widespread vaccinations, safe-sex campaigns, and public awareness, a spike in cases has occurred, signaling challenges ahead as a more dangerous strain of the monkeypox virus looms globally.
After reporting only 26 cases in 2023, the country saw a significant rise in August 2024, with 179 cases—more than in the past two years combined. Although the more severe clade Ib strain hasn’t yet appeared in Australia, infections from the less-severe IIb variant emphasize the need for high vaccine coverage. With 550 cases reported so far in 2024, transmission has primarily occurred among men who have sex with men.
Experts like Andrew Grulich, from the University of New South Wales’s Kirby Institute, stress the urgency of vaccinating gay and bisexual men, as mpox appears to be a persistent threat. New South Wales and Victoria, Australia’s most populous states, report that only half of at-risk men have been vaccinated, leaving many vulnerable.
The Bavarian Nordic A/S smallpox vaccine, shown to be 82% effective after two doses, helps prevent severe cases. In vaccinated individuals, mpox tends to present milder symptoms, often with fewer lesions. However, identifying and isolating cases early remains critical to prevent further spread, as those with unhealed sores can transmit the infection through physical contact.
