Warning of mpox outbreak for Winter Pride attendees

Anyone who attended Winter Pride is being warned to watch out for symptoms of mpox because suspected cases of the virus attended the events.

The Winter Pride event took place in Queenstown in the last week of August.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora said on Saturday while no further cases have been found, it knew of "a number of people across the country… who have been in contact with people now known to have mpox".

The Burnett Foundation (formerly NZ Aids Foundation and Ending HIV) said it was asking people to help contain the outbreak.

Chief executive Joe Rich said anyone that was at Winter Pride with fever-like symptoms, lesions or spots in the genital area should refrain from sexual contact and get into a sexual health clinic to get tested.

Rich said anyone who attended the events but was not symptomatic did not need to worry unless symptoms developed, or they have been notified by somebody as a contact.

"In New Zealand, gay, bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are at the greatest risk. That's where we've seen previous outbreaks spreading and the ones that are circulating in Australia are the same."

Health NZ said people who have sex with MSM are also most affected globally by mpox, and this could include people of any gender or sexual identity, whether they are transgender or cisgender, including non-binary people.

"If you think you may have been exposed to mpox or if you develop symptoms, especially a rash, you should stay home and seek medical advice," Dr Matt Reid, Medical Officer of Health, said.

"You can contact your nearest sexual health clinic, your GP, or Healthline free on 0800 611 116, which offers interpreter services."

Rich said people could protect themselves with vaccination, available from sexual health clinics. Vaccinations were free for people who meet the high-risk criteria, though Rich said the number of locations the vaccine was currently available were very limited.

"And we unfortunately are aware that there are waiting lists at some sexual health clinics, and so we urge Te Whatu Ora to adequately resource those sexual health clinics so that they have the staff capacity to administer."

Te Whatu Ora said all the cases in New Zealand were the 'clade II' variety of mpox, the most common worldwide and not generally considered as dangerous as clade I.

Symptoms

Health NZ said most people with mpox developed a rash or other skin change known as lesions. Lesions are spots, bumps, blisters or sores, usually around the face, hands, feet, mouth, throat, genitals and anus.

The sores usually go through stages - they appear flat, they become solid and raised or bumpy, they fill with fluid, crust over and eventually flake off. The lesions were often painful and itchy, and could take a few weeks to heal.

Pain, bleeding or discomfort in the anus was a possibility.

Some people also experienced flu-like symptoms early on, including:

• swollen lymph nodes
• fever
• muscle aches
• tiredness

Health NZ said you could have a rash without other symptoms, or you could only have one lesion instead of many.

Who is eligible for a vaccine?

• Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM)
• Trans and non-binary people who have sex with MSM
• Anyone who is a close contact of someone who has been infected with mpox.

More information about mpox can be found here.