The HealthPathways team has created a monkeypox resource page, which is now live.
The page brings together key resources for clinicians who may be caring for people with symptoms of monkeypox, or who have concerns about monkeypox and may be seeking information.
HealthPathways Clinical Editor Dr Sarah Mollard said the page has been developed in response to a notification from NSW Health about a global increase of monkeypox cases in countries where it is not usually endemic.
Monkeypox is a rare zoonotic viral infection usually associated with travel to West and Central Africa.
There have been several reported cases in NSW. Most, if not all, have been imported from overseas or interstate.
‘We’re providing this resource for clinicians who are on the lookout for new cases in returned travellers or people who have had contact with them,’ Dr Mollard said.
‘It’s predominantly spread through prolonged close contact. It can be spread through droplet transmission from exposure to respiratory secretions.’
She said the new pathway has had specialist medical input from North Coast Director of Public Health, Dr Paul Douglas.
‘Monkeypox is a notifiable disease and clinicians need to report any suspected cases to the Public Health Unit,’ Dr Mollard said.
Advice is also available from the on-call Westmead Hospital Infectious Disease Specialist on 8890-5555.
For more information:
- NSW Health – Infectious Disease Alerts: Monkeypox; Monkeypox [multilingual fact sheets]
- NSW Health Clinical Excellence Commission – Infection Prevention and Control Information for Clinicians: Monkeypox
- Australian Government Department of Health – Monkeypox (MPX)
Mid and North Coast Localised Pathways
manc.communityhealthpathways.org
Username: manchealth
Password: conn3ct3d