Wellington: The New Zealand government has secured monkeypox medicine tecovirimat, which is expected to be available in New Zealand from late September for free. In addition, Health New Zealand is also working with Pharmac, the country’s pharmaceutical agency, to secure a supply of a smallpox vaccine known as Imvanex or Jynneos, which is effective against monkeypox, Associate Minister of Health Ayes ha Verrall said on Friday.
New Zealand has been able to secure 504 courses of the monkeypox medicine tecovirimat, which will be free and used to treat those who become unwell with monkeypox, Verrall said in a statement. “While New Zealand doesn’t currently have any active cases of monkeypox, and the risk of wide-spread transmission is low it is important we are prepared,” she said. “Sometimes people with the virus experience painful lesions and some people may require hospital-level care. This medicine will help those people,” she added. The government is also working hard to secure access to a vaccine, but there is limited global supply and distribution is being prioritized to those countries experiencing outbreaks, she said.
