Since I first posted this summary infographic a few things have changed… but a lot has stayed the same! The cumulative global count has continued to go up (now at more than 16k) which led the WHO to declare it a global healthy emergency this past weekend. Because mode of transmission is not anything like C19 we don’t expect transmission rates or trends to match what we saw in the pandemic. But even these numbers indicate that this is spreading much more broadly than we’ve seen previously and it’s important you’re educated and aware!
Most importantly:
– transmission is through close contact. A few headlines recently incorrectly say this is a sexually transmitted disease but it is not. It can be, but is not limited to, sexual contact.
– if you believe you have been exposed or are at high-risk for exposure you are eligible for vaccination (this is called post-exposure prophylactic or pre-exposure prophylactic vaccination). Unfortunately a lot of people are experiencing difficulty finding places with the vaccine (JYNNEOS) and I hope this constraint is alleviated.
-If you are not at perceived high risk then there is no need to panic! Be aware of early symptoms, avoid close contact with those who are showing symptoms of being sick, wash your hands before touching your face, and familiarize yourself with what a monkeypox rash may look like.