Photo: AFP
Monkeypox is the newest virus we need to be prepared for and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning American travelers to "practice enhanced precautions" this week amid the spread of the monkeypox virus around the globe. The CDC has upgraded its monkeypox travel alert to a "Level 2" out of three and released an advisory stating,
"Travelers should AVOID: Close contact with sick people, including those with skin lesions or genital lesions; Contact with dead or live wild animals such as small mammals including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes); Eating or preparing meat from wild game (bushmeat) or using products derived from wild animals from Africa (creams, lotions, powders); Contact with contaminated materials used by sick people (such as clothing, bedding, or materials used in healthcare settings) or that came into contact with infected animals."
Monkeypox is a rare virus that can spread through contact with skin lesions or bodily fluids, including respiratory droplets, or through contact with contaminated materials. According to the CDC, you're infected with the virus, you can experience symptoms of a fever, a headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes, followed by a rash all over the course of 2 to 4 weeks. The agency noted that a prior vaccination against smallpox may provide protection against the monkeypox virus.
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