Health authorities in Western Australia have issued an alert after a spike in monkeypox cases that is affecting women in the state for the first time, and heterosexual men.
The Department of Health said on Friday there had been seven new cases of the viral infection notified in the past week, with contact tracing now underway to prevent further transmission.
The spike in infections brought the number of cases in Western Australia in 2026 so far to 22, compared to 27 for the whole of 2025, and 23 in 2024.
The disease usually affects homosexual men, including those who claim to be “transgender”, but the department said for the first time in the state’s history two of this year’s cases were “cisgender women”, and two were heterosexual men. 19 were locally acquired and three were acquired overseas.
Dr Paul Armstrong, Director Communicable Disease Control, using the politically correct term “mpox”, said the authorities were working to prevent the virus from spreading further.
“Mpox is a viral infection that typically causes mild illness, including fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes or fatigue, followed by a skin rash or lesions,” Dr Armstrong said.
“It does not spread easily between people and is mainly transmitted through very close or intimate contact with an infected person.
“While anyone can contract Mpox, recent cases in Australia and internationally have occurred more commonly among sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men.”
Dr Armstrong warned Western Australians to get vaccinated if eligible, especially if travelling to monkeypox hotspots.
“The Mpox vaccine is available through sexual health clinics and participating GPs for people at higher risk of exposure,” he said.
“Two doses are recommended for optimal protection, and vaccination can reduce the risk of infection and severe disease.”
Most Australian states provide free monkeypox vaccines to homosexuals and prostitutes following a series of outbreaks at super-spreading “pride” events such as Melbourne’s Midsumma festival in recent years.
Common monkeypox symptoms include rashes, lesions or sores, fever, chills, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and sore throat. The disease is mostly spread from person-to-person through prolonged physical or intimate contact.
Monkeypox was first detected in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the 1970s, and may have originally been transmitted to humans from monkeys. It is now endemic across central and western African.
Header image credit: Center for Disease Control.
