We sat down with Darwin-based, Māori comedian and actor Shalom Kaa (he/him), who recently had mpox. He shares his experience of having the virus and how he used it to write a show that advocates for and educates about sexual health.
When did you have mpox?
I contracted mpox in late September of 2024 and was diagnosed in hospital in early October.
How did you find out you had mpox?
I got very sick for two weeks with a fever and bronchial cough. Then I got spots on my hands, which I hoped was syphilis as it can be easily treated. I had a telehealth appointment and then went straight to the hospital, where I was diagnosed with mpox.
How were the symptoms?
The illness was full-on. Don’t assume it’s just a standard fever or flu. The lethargy (also called fatigue) was the worst. It was horrible. Then I got pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane around the lungs) which I found out is sometimes a symptom. It was awful too.
Two days after I got diagnosed, my fever went away and my health returned, but I had to isolate until the sores healed.
“The spots (I had about 100) were there for two-and-a-half weeks.”
You need to self-manage the spots; once the sores fall off and the skin grows over, then you’re not infectious. But my skin scars, so it can still look like I have it. After two weeks, I did a soft return to the community, wore long clothes, and put Band-Aids on all the scars.
How did mpox affect your daily life?
Having to isolate meant, as a semi-casual employee and artist, I couldn’t make any money. I jumped straight on the Centrelink app, uploaded my doctor’s certificate and got approved in a day, and that’s how I lived. It was enough to pay rent and food.
I’m HIV positive, so the other concern I had was about mpox complicating my HIV. They took my HIV stats while I was in hospital, they came back saying my viral load had increased above detectable levels (which can happen when I’m sick). So, I’ve retested and am still waiting on the results, but I will manage that when it comes.
Did you need to let any partners know about your diagnosis?
I had no recent partners after my exposure to mpox because I was so sick. At the hospital, they asked to contact trace.
I told them I don’t know those people’s names; I went to Sex-On-Premises Venues.
They were great about it; and they did take the names of venues I went to. That process was fine.
What advice would you give to someone who might be worried about mpox or is still thinking about getting vaccinated?
If the worry is about the imposition of isolation, even on your sexual life, then go and get vaccinated it’s as simple as that.
In Darwin, I am a performer, and I had no qualms telling people the real story as soon as I got back to work. Then it became funny! Not that having mpox is funny, but the laughter normalised mpox and gay sex (even darkrooms). I decided to make a comedy show out of it and make some money. I told them the whole process, going to the doctor and saying ‘WTF’ when they told me it was mpox. Those little stories blended into an hour.
I’ve had a long relationship with my local sexual health organisation, NTAHC (Northern Territory AIDS and Hepatitis Council).
“I wanted there to be a message and talk about all the amazing LGBTQ services available [at NTAHC].”
It was particularly important because Clinic 34, the testing clinic, is not in the CBD anymore; it’s now at the hospital — which is a 20-minute drive. I had lots of NTAHC posters, booklets, and information at the show. That team works very hard. They supplied so much great information for my shows — because a lot of people don’t know about these services or that the mpox vaccination is free. I wanted to say, ‘Hey, here it is, it’s easy; just do it.’
Where can we see more of you?
I was recently in a play called ‘A Hit and Miss Christmas’, where I played a homophobic theatre director who is an absolute wanker. He was delicious to play!
I’ll be at Sydney Fringe and Darwin Fringe, doing some TV work and more comedy. You can follow Shalom’s work on social media here.
Editor’s notes: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Not all cases of mpox are as noticeable or severe as Shalom’s. If you spot anything unusual, ask for an mpox test. Being double vaccinated against mpox significantly reduces your chance of severe symptoms, which might need medical treatment for pain. Although Shalom first noticed spots on his hands, just one or more can appear anywhere on the body. Emen8’s mpox toolkit shows you how to recognise the symptoms and where to find your nearest vaccination provider.
Mpox is still circulating in Australia. Vaccinate now for free to maximise your protection and curb the spread. All people living with HIV and anyone who’s sexually active are strongly recommended to complete the full course of two vaccines.
We thank Shalom for generously sharing his experience of having mpox in the hope that other guys remain aware and get vaccinated.