Australian health experts are urging greater awareness following an Mpox outbreak in Africa and the emergence of one confirmed case in Sweden.
The World Health Organization has classified Mpox as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern after the contagious virus led to approximately 450 fatalities during an initial outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The disease has since spread to various regions of central and east Africa, with Sweden reporting a single case thus far.
Scientists express alarm over the rapid spread of a new variant of the disease and its elevated mortality rate. Dr. Nias Peng, a virologist at CSIRO Health and Biosecurity in Australia, noted that the current Mpox situation mirrors the earlier appearance of the virus in 2022, which was overlooked and ultimately resulted in a global outbreak.
“The declaration of a public health emergency of international concern is timely, enabling health authorities to strengthen measures to control the spread. We must act swiftly to ensure we do not repeat history,” he emphasized.
Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake, an Infectious Diseases specialist and Associate Professor of Medicine at The Australian National University, also shared concerns regarding the new outbreak.
“A significant increase in cases has been alarming, with the Africa Centres for Disease Control reporting a 160% rise in reported cases compared to 2023-24,” he stated. “Additionally, a troubling aspect of this outbreak is that the majority of cases and fatalities have been in children under 15, in contrast to the 2022 outbreak that predominantly affected adult males.”
Fiji’s Health Ministry recently issued a statement urging individuals who have recently traveled internationally and are experiencing fever, body aches, and blistering rashes to seek medical attention immediately.