“He was subsequently presented to his GP and then to the hospital with symptoms clinically compatible with monkeypox,” NSW Health said in a statement.
The primary inoculation lesion for monkeypox infection. (Supplied)
“Urgent tests are consistent with monkeypox, the second case in NSW.”
The man is currently in hospital.
NSW Health added that he lives alone and that authorities have not identified any high-risk contact in NSW who should be isolated, but some people who had low-level contact will be advised to watch for symptoms.
The case is not related to the first one that was reported two weeks ago.
“NSW Health is working with Queensland Health to identify possible transmission incidents,” NSW Health said.
This electron microscopy (MS) image represented a virion of monkeypox, obtained from a clinical sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. It was a fine-section image of a human skin sample. On the left were mature, oval-shaped virus particles, and on the right were crescent moons and spherical particles of immature virions. High resolution: Click here for a high resolution image (5.21 MB) Content providers: CDC / Cynthia S. Goldsmith Date created: 2003 Photo credit: Cynthia S. Goldsmi (AP)
NSW Health Director Dr Kerry Chant said the community should not worry about the risk of the virus.
“We will continue to work with GPs, hospitals and sexual health services across the state to provide advice on diagnosis and referral,” Chant said.
Smallpox is a rare viral infection that does not spread easily among people, and symptoms include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the symptoms of smallpox are “very similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although clinically less severe.”
The countries with the most triple vaccination on Earth
It is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, the WHO said.
The WHO said vaccines used to eradicate smallpox also provide protection against smallpox.