Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au
Monkeypox detected in Northern Territory
An overseas traveller infected with monkeypox has been placed in quarantine after arriving in the Northern Territory.
July 21, 2022
A monkeypox case has been detected in the Northern Territory after an overseas traveller returned to the Top End.
The traveller has been quarantined and is not a risk to the community, NT Health said on Thursday
The rare tropical illness was first reported in Australia on May 20, with 41 cases confirmed nationally.
Monkeypox is a viral disease spread through close contact with an infected person or contaminated objects, such as bedding.
It occurs mainly in central and western Africa, often close to tropical rainforests, and is considered endemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo where it was discovered in humans in 1970.
Initial symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headache and body aches.
These symptoms are usually followed by distinctive lesions that may appear on the face, genitalia, inside the mouth, hands and feet.
Most people do not require treatment for monkeypox and fully recover from the virus in a few weeks.