CDC’s travel advisory on monkeypox: ‘Practice enhanced precautions’

On its advisory, the CDC said that the “risk to the general public is low, but you should seek medical care immediately if you develop new, unexplained skin rash (lesions on any part of the body), with or without fever and chills.”

The CDC has three types of levels it might issue as cases have been reported in dozens of destinations. The levels are:

• Watch — Level 1: Practice usual precautions
• Alert — Level 2: Practice enhanced precautions
• Warning — Level 3: Avoid nonessential travel

Level 2 precautions

The CDC has the following recommendations for travelers as we’re 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 nonhuman primates such as monkeys and apes.

• Avoid eating or preparing meat from wild game or using products derived from wild animals from Africa such as creams, lotions and powders.

• Avoid contact with contaminated materials used by sick people such as clothing, bedding or materials used in healthcare settings or with materials that came into contact with infected animals.

Where monkeypox has been reported

Usually associated with tropical Africa, confirmed cases of monkeypox are now global. The CDC says cases have been reported in Europe, North America, South America, North Africa, the Middle East and Australia.

Here is 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
• Netherlands
• Northern Ireland
• Norway
• Portugal
• Scotland
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Wales

Symptoms of…