Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Government is now considering support for those who have to isolate with monkeypox, as two new cases are announced.
It's a turnaround from Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni's comments to 1News on Friday, where she said additional assistance wasn't being considered.
At a post-Cabinet media conference yesterday, Ardern said "conversations are still ongoing".
"It is of course a small group, but it's a longer period of time so we're just considering what support might be most appropriate in those circumstances," she said.
There have been calls for a Covid-like isolation support payment because some people with monkeypox need to stay home for up to a month, and no vaccines are available until the end of the year.
Auckland Pride's Max Tweedie, who raised his concerns last week, has welcomed what he called a "softening" stance from the Government.
"Great to see the Government softening on their answer to isolation payments or other forms of targeted support for those isolating with MPX," he wrote on Twitter.
"Hopefully this can be implemented quickly to slow the spread of community cases."
The two new infections, announced on the Ministry of Health's website yesterday, are both from community transmission.
One case is in Auckland and the other is in Wellington, bringing the total number of community cases to 16. There have been 25 infections in total.
Community transmission was first reported on October 6.
The Ministry of Health says the risk to the public is low.
"While anyone can get monkeypox, overseas it has mostly impacted the MSM (men who have sex with men) community and people who have sex with MSM," a statement read.
"There is a higher risk for these communities."
Epidemiologist Dr Arindam Basu told 1News last week there was an "undeniable" risk to others.
SHARE ME