Information for people with mpox

Follow the advice on this page if:

• you have received a diagnosis of mpox
• your healthcare provider has told you that they suspect you have mpox, and you are waiting on a test result.

You need to let ACT Health know if it is not possible for you to follow the advice outlined on this page.

You can contact ACT Health by calling 02 5124 9213.

What happens if you have mpox

If you have tested positive for mpox, ACT Health will contact you to provide advice and ask you some questions to determine if anyone else is at risk of mpox.

If you are waiting on a test result for mpox, ACT Health may be in contact with you prior to the test result.

ACT Health will ask you for permission to speak to people you have been in close contact with. ACT Health can contact them anonymously. Your identity will be kept confidential and will not be provided to your contacts without your permission. Your close contacts will be given information and support and may be offered vaccination to prevent them from getting mpox.

You may be asked to change some of your activities to reduce the risk of spreading mpox to other people.

You may be asked to stay home and isolate from other people if there is a higher risk of spreading mpox. This may include if you have widespread rash or lesions, respiratory symptoms like a sore throat, or have travelled or had close physical or sexual contact with a traveler from overseas in the past 3 weeks.

How to manage symptoms

Most people will be able to manage their mpox symptoms at home with advice and support from their healthcare provider. Some people, who get really sick, may need to go to hospital.

Talk to your healthcare provider to discuss your symptoms by telehealth or call Canberra Sexual Health Centre on 02 5124 2184 on weekdays between 8:30am and 5pm.

Your healthcare provider may recommend pain relief tablets or creams, wound care, or stool softeners.

If you need urgent medical attention, call Triple Zero (000) or go to your nearest hospital emergency department. Tell the phone operator or hospital staff that you have mpox.

How to protect other people

You can avoid spreading mpox by:

• not having sex or intimate contact with others
• limiting any close physical contact with people in your house
  • not sharing clothing, bedding and towels
  • sleeping in a separate room
  • doing your own laundry
  • using your own bathroom, if you can
• avoiding physical contact with people, particularly those at higher risk of illness from infection such as young children, older people, people with weak immune systems, and people who are pregnant
• not attending childcare, aged care or disability facilities without first discussing it with ACT Health. ACT Health will talk to you about your return to work if you work in one of these settings.
• only attending healthcare facilities if you need to see a healthcare provider (wear a mask if you do attend).
• covering lesions or sores with clothing or with a bandage
• avoid touching your face or rubbing your eyes, especially if you have lesions or sores near your eyes or on your hands
• regularly washing your hands with soap and water or use an alcohol-based sanitiser, particularly after touching lesions or sores
• covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your elbow
• wearing a surgical mask around other people if you have sores or pain in your mouth or throat, or respiratory symptoms

You can undertake your usual activities if:

• ACT Health hasn’t asked you to stay at home
• you follow the advice about protecting others (see above)
• you don’t have any respiratory symptoms, such as a sore mouth or throat or cough

How to know you are no longer infectious

You may be infectious up to 4 days before your symptoms start.

You are infectious until:

• all the lesions (sores) have crusted and scabs have fallen off leaving a fresh layer of skin underneath
• any rectal pain is completely gone.

Your healthcare provider can help you to assess this.

Recovery

Most people recover within two to four weeks. Once you recover, you can go back to your normal activities but you should:

• use condoms for any sexual activity, including oral sex, for 12 weeks after symptoms have gone.
• not donate blood, cells, tissue, breast milk, semen or organs for 12 weeks.
• thoroughly clean and disinfect your home. This is important if you had scabs that may have fallen off in the home. Find out more information about household cleaning and disinfection.

How to stay well during recovery

While you are recovering, in addition to support from your healthcare provider, you can get support by emailing contact@meridianact.org.au.

Read about getting help for your mental health.

If you need immediate mental health support call Access Mental Health on 1800 629 354.

How to avoid getting mpox again

How long immunity lasts for isn’t known. Even if you have had mpox in the past, you can get it again.

You should avoid close physical contact with people who have mpox to reduce your risk of getting mpox again. This includes avoiding contact with their body fluids, sores and other contaminated material they have been in contact with like bedding or towels.

You should always practise good hand and respiratory hygiene.

Contacting ACT Health

You can contact ACT Health by calling 02 5124 9213.

Further information

Go to Mpox to find more information about mpox.

In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000) straight away.

If you need help in your language, call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50.