Infants under 6 months old – This group has not yet been affected by the current outbreak.
Older adults – While they may be more vulnerable, studies suggest they still have some degree of protection from the smallpox vaccine they received decades ago.
Anne Rimoin, an epidemiologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, who has studied monkeypox in Africa, expressed optimism: "We are fortunate to have vaccines and treatments. We have the ability to contain this virus."
How Monkeypox Spreads
Monkeypox is a rare infectious disease caused by the monkeypox virus, which belongs to the same family as smallpox. While similar to smallpox, monkeypox is typically less severe. The disease was first identified in animals and later found in humans, mainly in Central and West Africa.
Monkeypox can spread in several ways:
From Animals to Humans:
Direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids, or skin lesions of infected animals.
Handling wild animals, especially rodents or primates.
Eating undercooked meat from infected animals.
From Humans to Humans:
Close, prolonged face-to-face contact through respiratory droplets.
Direct contact with skin lesions or bodily fluids of an infected person.
Contact with contaminated objects such as bedding, clothing, or surfaces.
Intimate physical contact, including hugging,kissing, or sexual contact.
Unlike COVID-19, monkeypox does not spread as easily. People are typically considered contagious only when symptoms appear.
What Are the Symptoms of Monkeypox?
Monkeypox symptoms generally appear 5 to 21 days after exposure and develop in two stages:
