Six further mpox cases linked to Queenstown Pride Festival
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Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora advises a further six mpox cases have been confirmed over the past week linked to the recent Winter Pride Festival outbreak, bringing the total number of cases to 11.
An additional single case not linked to the festival but recently acquired overseas has also been confirmed, with a sample undergoing further clade testing.
Mpox is a rare infection and the risk of it spreading widely in New Zealand remains low.
All testing to date confirms the virus linked to the festival as clade II. All of New Zealand’s mpox cases since reporting began in July 2022 have so far been clade II.
This brings the total number of mpox cases confirmed so far in 2024 to 16, with 66 cases in total confirmed in Aotearoa New Zealand since July 2022.
If you think you have been exposed to mpox, or if you develop symptoms, especially a rash, please seek medical advice. You can contact your nearest sexual health clinic, GP or healthcare professional, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice and support.
The symptoms of mpox include:
- skin lesions — including any around your face, hands, feet, mouth or throat, genitals or anus
- pain, bleeding or discomfort in your anus.
Some people also experience flu-like symptoms early on, including:
- swollen lymph nodes
- fever
- muscle aches
- tiredness
There are two types of mpox, known as clade I and clade II - both have caused current outbreaks in African countries, with a recent increase in clade I cases in Africa leading to WHO recently declaring a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.The global mpox outbreak which started in 2022 was due to clade II and all cases to date in New Zealand and nearby countries have been clade II.
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