On its advice, the CDC said the “risk to the general public is low, but you should seek immediate medical attention if you develop a new, unexplained rash (lesions on any part of the body), with or without a fever and chills.”
The CDC has three types of tiers it can issue as cases have been reported in dozens of destinations. The levels are:
• Look — Level 1: Practice the usual precautions
• Warning — Level 2: Practice Enhanced Precautions
• Warning — Level 3: Avoid non-essential travel
Level 2 Precautions
The CDC has the following recommendations for travelers as we are in Level 2:
• Avoid close contact with sick people, including those with skin or genital lesions.
• Avoid contact with dead or live wild animals. This includes rodents such as rats and squirrels and non-human primates such as monkeys and monkeys.
• Avoid eating or preparing wild game meat or using products derived from African wild animals such as creams, lotions and powders.
• Avoid contact with contaminated materials used by sick people, such as clothing, bedding or materials used in healthcare facilities or with materials that have come into contact with infected animals.
Where Monkeypox has been reported
The Eiffel Tower in Paris. France is one of the destinations that has reported cases of monkey pox.
Adobe Stock
Mostly associated with tropical Africa, confirmed cases of monkey pox are now worldwide. The CDC says cases have been reported in Europe, North America, South America, North Africa, the Middle East and Australia.
Here’s a CDC list of destinations with confirmed cases as of June 6:
• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Gibraltar
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Latvia
• Malta
• Mexico
• Morocco
• The Netherlands
• Northern Ireland
• Norway
• Portugal
• Scotland
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Wales
Monkeypox Symptoms
The palms of a patient with monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997.
Brian WJ Mahy/CDC/Handout/Reuters
There is an incubation period of about seven to 14 days, the CDC said. The first symptoms are usually flu-like, such as fever, chills, exhaustion, headache and muscle weakness, followed by swelling in the lymph nodes, which help the body fight infection and disease.
“One feature that distinguishes monkeypox infection from smallpox infection is the development of swollen lymph nodes,” according to the CDC.
Next comes a widespread rash on the face and body, including in the mouth and on the palms and soles. It can also spread to genital areas.
The painful, raised pustules are pearly and fluid-filled, often surrounded by red circles. The lesions eventually crust over and disappear over a period of two to three weeks, the CDC said.
What to do if you get sick
The CDC says to avoid contact with others first. Other advice:
“If you can, call ahead before going to a healthcare facility. If you can’t call ahead, tell a staff member that you’re concerned about monkey pox as soon as you arrive.”
The CDC says you should tell your doctor any of the following in the month before you develop symptoms:
• You have been in contact with a person who may have had monkey pox.
• You are a man who has had intimate contact (including sex) with other men.
• You were in an area where monkeypox has been reported or in an area where monkeypox is more common (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Sudan).
If you’re sick and could have monkey pox, the CDC says public transportation will be delayed until you’re approved by a health care professional or public health officials.
DailyExpertNews’s Sandee LaMotte contributed to this article from previous coverage.