SURATDOKTER.com – Cases of monkeypox or mpox Australia experienced a sharp spike, a 570 percent increase from July 2024.
Based on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation report, the majority of cases occurred in the state of New South Wales, which accounted for more than half of the total reported cases.
An epidemiologist from the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Andrew Grulich, revealed that Australia is currently facing the largest mpox outbreak in the country’s history.
Read also: Mpox cases in Australia have experienced a spike since July this year
This disease spreads quickly, especially in suburban areas where there is little access to health services.
Although the mpox vaccine, known as Jynneos, is widely available in Australia, vaccination rates in the country are still very low.
Since the start of the vaccination program, Australia has administered 106,519 doses of vaccine. However, in 2024, only 22,795 doses will be successfully administered.
This figure shows that public interest in receiving the mpox vaccine is still far from expectations. This low interest is thought to be related to the perception that the spread of mpox is not considered too much of a concern.
However, experts, including Professor Grulich, warn that mpox transmission will continue to occur until population immunity levels increase significantly.
This is a real challenge, as vaccination is one of the main measures to control the spread of this disease.
On the other hand, the stigma towards mpox victims also affects the low rate of vaccination.
In 2022, some patients reported unpleasant treatment from medical staff, which made them unwilling to receive further treatment or vaccination.
To prevent a more severe spike in cases, experts call for more intensive and widespread public awareness campaigns, especially in areas with limited health access.
2024-09-30 06:55:00
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