Key Points
- The number of monkeypox infections in Victoria has almost doubled in a month
- Health authorities are advising at-risk groups to take preventative measures to limit the virus' spread
As of Saturday, 40 monkeypox infections have been reported in Victoria. That's up from 22 cases on 4 August.
Nationally, there have been 89 cases of the virus, which is spread through skin-to-skin contact or from touching contaminated objects.
At-risk groups, including men who have sex with men, are being advised to take preventative measures as cases climb.
They should limit their sexual partners and receive the latest smallpox vaccine to protect themselves, the Victorian health department said in a statement on Saturday.
Vaccines are available in a number of sexual health clinics across Victoria but the state's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said supply was limited.
"We owe it to gay and bisexual men to inform them where the risk is now and to support reducing risk," Professor Sutton said in on Saturday.
"Vaccines are currently in short supply but many more doses on the way."
The federal government secured 450,000 doses of the third generation Jynneos smallpox vaccine earlier this month, with the first delivery of 22,000 doses distributed around the country.
The remainder of the vaccines will arrive on Australian shores later this year and into early 2023.
Symptoms include rashes, lesions or sores - particularly around the genitals - as well as fevers, aches and swollen lymph nodes.
The World Health Organization last month declared monkeypox a of international concern.
There have been more than 35,000 cases of the disease around the world and 12 related deaths, the health organisation reports.
Of Australia's 89 recorded monkeypox infections, 40 are in Victoria and 39 are in NSW, while there are also cases in Queensland (3), Western Australia (3), the ACT (2), and South Australia (2).
