Australian health officials on Friday reported their first confirmed case of monkeypox, diagnosed in a traveler who recently returned from Britain to Melbourne. A possible second case in a Sydney man who recently traveled to Europe is under observation.

Kerry Chant, chief health officer of New South Wales, told reporters both cases were considered mild. The Melbourne man is reportedly in his 30s, while the Sydney patient is in his 40s. The patients and people they have been in close contact with were asked to isolate themselves at home.

Chant said Australian health officials are implementing measures to “identify and manage any monkeypox cases including clinical alerts to doctors and hospitals.”

“Cases are occasionally reported in non-endemic countries in returning travelers or their close contacts, or in owners of imported pets. People can contract monkeypox through very close contact with people who are infected with the virus. The infection is usually a mild illness and most people recover within a few weeks,” she said.

Victoria Deputy Chief Health Officer Deborah Friedman suggested monkeypox testing for all travelers with relevant symptoms, which include fever, headaches, and highly visible rashes that begin on the victim’s face and spread across the body.

Monkeypox cases have been reported in the United States, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Spain, and Portugal.




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