Finance
The Australian government declared monkeypox a communicable disease incident of national significance on Thursday.
The move, which comes just days after the World Health Organization declared it a public health emergency of international concern, means the federal government must implement national policy, interventions, and public messaging to prevent the virus’s spread, according to Xinhua.
There have been 44 confirmed monkeypox cases in Australia, the majority of which have been returned from overseas travel.
The majority of monkeypox cases in Australia were among people aged 21 to 40.
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly, who made the announcement, said monkeypox is “far less harmful” than Covid-19 and has not caused deaths during the current outbreak “outside of countries where the virus is endemic”.
He said monkeypox is also not transmitted in the same way as Covid-19, and is far less transmissible.
“Monkeypox’s rash and flu-like symptoms are relatively mild, and in most cases, resolve themselves within two to four weeks without the need for specific treatments,” he said.
The National Incident Centre has also been activated to provide enhanced national coordination to assist states and territories in effectively managing outbreaks within their jurisdictions, according to the official.
Source:OCN
