First case of new monkeypox strain recorded in Australia

First case of a new variant of monkeypox detected in Australia in a traveler from Thailand

Australia has identified the first case of infection with a new variant of mpox (the new name for monkeypox), reports TUT.AZ citing the SBS channel. A man who recently returned from vacation in Thailand was found to have the Clade 1b strain.

The Australian Center for Disease Control and Prevention is reassuring the population: the risk of further spread of this strain across the country is assessed as low.

Anthony Lawler, Australia's Chief Medical Officer, assured the public: "All cases in Australia are under close supervision by state and territory health departments. We are fully prepared and ready to respond promptly to a possible outbreak."

According to statistics, from January 1, 2022, to April 30, 2025, 142,151 people from 133 countries worldwide reported mpox infection, with 328 deaths registered. It's worth noting that the WHO had previously temporarily lifted the emergency situation due to declining incidence; however, on August 14, 2024, it again declared an emergency due to the increasing number of infected people in Africa.