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Monkeypox is a rare disease, but anyone can get it.

Monkeypox often causes flu-like symptoms and a rash. The rash can be flat, raised, or fluid-filled lesions and can be painful.

It is spread mostly by prolonged physical contact with an infected person’s rash or sores. People can also get it by touching unwashed surfaces. These usually include sheets, towels, or clothing that has been exposed to the virus.

Monkeypox is of public health concern. The illness is like smallpox and can be spread from infected humans, animals, and materials contaminated with the virus. Monkeypox is less transmissible and usually less severe than smallpox. 

Monkeypox was first identified in 1958. It occurs primarily in Central and West African countries. Historically, Monkeypox cases have rarely occurred in the United States. Cases were mostly related to international travel or imported animals.

Recently, cases of Monkeypox have significantly increased in places where the virus is not commonly seen, including Europe, Canada, the United States, and California. While it's good to stay alert about any emerging public health outbreaks, the current risk of getting Monkeypox is very low.

As of Sept. 9, 2022, Shasta County had two probable cases and one confirmed case of Monkeypox. 

Across California, more than 4,302 probable and confirmed cases of Monkeypox have been reported by the California Department of Public Health as of Sept. 9, 2022.

In the USA, more than 16,603 total confirmed monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases have been reported. 

Click here for current state case counts from CDPH, as well as breakdowns by county, age, race, gender and sexual orientation.

Click here for nationwide data and maps from CDC.

Monkeypox symptoms usually start within 1-3 weeks after exposure to the virus. Monkeypox might start with symptoms like the flu, fever, low energy, swollen lymph nodes, headache, backache, chills and general body aches.

Within 1 to 3 days (sometimes more) after a fever starts, a person can develop a rash or sores. The sores will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing. The sores can look like pimples or blisters and may be painful and itchy.

The rash or sores may be located on or near the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butt) but could also be on other areas, such as the hands, feet, chest, and face. The sores may also be limited to one part of the body. 

People with Monkeypox may experience all or only a few of these symptoms. Most people with Monkeypox will develop a rash or sores. Some people have reported developing a rash or sores before (or without) the flu-like symptoms.

Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until all sores have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take several weeks.

Shasta County Public Health recommends that you speak to your primary care provider. Your provider can test for Monkeypox by swabbing a lesion and sending the sample to a lab.

If you do not have a regular provider, call 2-1-1 for assistance.

If you or your household has a case or exposure to Monkeypox, follow these links to learn more about:

If you have a new or an unexplained rash or other symptoms, seek medical care for further testing and evaluation.

Wear a well-fitting mask, ensure your rash is covered, and tell your health care provider of your current symptoms of possible MPX

Avoid crowds and close contact, including sexual or intimate contact, until you see your health care provider.

For more information about isolation recommendations, please refer to the CDPH MPX Home Isolation Guidance for the General Public

Disinfecting the Home and Other Non-Healthcare Settings (CDC)

Monkeypox spreads primarily through direct, usually prolonged, contact with infectious sores, scabs, or body fluids. This prolonged contact can happen during sex, as well as activities like kissing, hugging, massaging, and cuddling.

Monkeypox can spread by touching materials used by a person with monkeypox that haven’t been cleaned, such as clothing and bedding. It can also spread by respiratory droplets during prolonged, close, face-to-face contact.

Direct contact with Monkeypox rash, sores, or scabs from a person with Monkeypox. This is currently the most common way that Monkeypox is spreading in the U.S.

Contact with objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with Monkeypox.

Contact with respiratory secretions, through kissing and other face-to-face contact.

This contact can happen when having sex, including:

● Oral, anal, and vaginal sex or touching of the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butt) of a person with Monkeypox.

● Hugging, massage, and kissing.

● Touching fabrics and objects during sex that were used by a person with Monkeypox and that have not been disinfected, such as bedding, towels, fetish gear, and sex toys.

● Walking by someone with Monkeypox, like in a grocery store.

There are number of ways to prevent the spread of monkeypox, including: 

● Always talking to your sexual partner/s about any recent illness and being aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or your partner’s body, including on the genitals and anus 

● Avoiding close contact, including sex, with people with symptoms like sores or rashes 

● Practicing good hand hygiene

● Isolating while infected until symptoms have gone away completely; Rash should always be well covered until completely healed and a new layer of skin has formed

● Using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), like a mask, gown, and gloves, when caring for others with symptoms 

● Avoiding contact with infected materials contaminated with the virus 

● Avoiding contact with infected animals

● Keeping infected patients away from others

● Avoiding contact with animals that could have the virus (such as animals that are sick or that have been found dead)

● Getting a vaccine if you are at high risk of exposure

If you have a new or an unexplained rash or other symptoms, seek medical care for further testing and evaluation.

Wear a mask and tell your healthcare provider of your current symptoms for possible Monkeypox. Cover any rashes you may have.

If you do not have a healthcare provider or healthcare insurance, call Shasta County Public Health at (530) 225-5591.Avoid crowds and close contact, including sexual or intimate contact, until seeing your healthcare provider.

Avoid crowds and close contact, including sexual or intimate contact, until seeing your healthcare provider.

Lesion Swab Testing for Monkeypox virus is now available locally.  Call your healthcare provider, who can swab a lesion and submit the sample for testing. 

It’s important to remember that anyone can get monkeypox, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or community affiliation.

However, based on recent infections nationwide, the state notes that high-risk groups currently include gay and bisexual men, men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender men and women, non-binary and other queer people.

Individuals listed above are at greater risk if they also meet at least one of these additional criteria:

●  diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease in the past 3 months, OR

● engaged in group sex with other men, sex with anonymous male partners, or survival/transactional sex (prostitution), OR

● associate with populations who are at high risk for monkeypox exposure, such as those living with HIV or other immune-compromising conditions

Vaccination helps to protect against monkeypox when given before or shortly after an exposure. JYNNEOS and ACAM2000 are two monkeypox vaccines currently available in the United States.

The federal government has allocated a limited number of JYNNEOS vaccine doses. JYNNEOS is for adults 18 years and over. Health providers give it as a two-dose injection series in the upper arm, at least four weeks apart. Most people who receive the JYNNEOS vaccine have only minor reactions. These are: pain, redness, swelling and itching at the injection site. Less commonly, people also may experience muscle pain, headache, fatigue, nausea, chills, and fever.

People exposed to monkeypox should get the vaccine to prevent them from developing the disease, the CDC advises.  This is most effective at preventing monkeypox if they get the vaccine within 4 days of exposure. If they get the vaccine 4 to 14 days after exposure, it may help reduce symptoms, but may not prevent an infection. 

The JYNNEOS vaccine is being prioritized for the following groups:

●  Known close contacts of monkeypox cases. Public health identifies this group by case investigation, contact tracing, and risk exposure.

●  People more likely to have been recently exposed to monkeypox, even if they don't know it. This includes people who attended an event or venue that exposed others to monkeypox.

●  Individuals at occupational risk of monkeypox. This includes laboratory workers who perform monkeypox testing. Public health workers who collect monkeypox specimens are also at risk.

Shasta County Public Health is collaborating with community partners. This includes Shasta Community Health Center and NorCal OUTreach, a non-profit organization serving the LGBTQ+ community. Both are well connected to the people who currently most need the vaccine and would like to receive it.

As the state issues more vaccine, Shasta County will disperse it as quickly as possible. Giving vaccine to at-risk people first helps protect the whole community.

To get on a waiting list for future vaccine, visit MyTurn (myturn.ca.gov). The state has said that it aims to add the monkeypox vaccine to MyTurn in August. On MyTurn, people can sign up for a vaccine the same way they do for COVID-19 vaccines.

How can a person lower the chance of getting monkeypox at raves, parties, clubs, and festivals?

When thinking about what to do, seek out information from trusted sources, like Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), or the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Consider how much close, skin-to-skin contact is likely to occur at the event you plan to attend. If you feel sick or have any rashes or sores, do not attend any gathering, and see a healthcare provider.

● Festivals, events, and concerts where attendees are fully clothed are safer. However, attendees should be mindful of activities like kissing that might spread monkeypox.

● A rave, party, or club where there is minimal clothing or direct, skin-to-skin contact has some risk. Avoid any rashes or sores you see on others. Consider minimizing skin-to-skin contact when possible.

● Enclosed spaces like back rooms, saunas or sex clubs are more likely to spread monkeypox. In these places, people wear minimal or no clothing and intimate contact may occur.

Talk to your partner about any recent illness. Be aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or your partner’s body, including the genitals and anus. Do not have sex if you or your partner have recently been sick or currently feel sick. If you have a new or unexplained rash or sores, do not have sex.

If you suspect monkeypox, see a health care provider. This is always a good plan, even if monkeypox isn’t in your area.

If you or a partner has monkeypox, the best way to protect yourself and others is to not have sex of any kind. This includes oral, anal or vaginal sex. Do not kiss or touch each other’s bodies while you are sick, especially any rash or sores present. Do not share things like towels, fetish gear, sex toys, and toothbrushes.

● Have virtual sex with no in-person contact.

● Masturbate together at a distance of at least six feet, without touching each other or any rash or sores.

● Consider having sex with your clothes on or covering areas where rash or sores are present. This will reduce as much skin-to-skin contact as possible.

● Remember to wash your hands, fetish gear, sex toys and any bedding, towels or clothing after having sex.

● Limit your number of partners to avoid opportunities for monkeypox to spread.

Avoid sex or being intimate with anyone until a healthcare provider has checked you. If you don’t have a provider or health insurance, visit a public health clinic near you.

If you think you have monkeypox, or had close personal contact with someone who has it, visit a healthcare provider. A provider can help you decide if you need to be tested for monkeypox. If so, they will work with you to collect a sample and send it to a laboratory for testing.

Avoid gatherings, especially if they involve close, personal, skin-to-skin contact.

Think about the people you have had close, personal, or sexual contact within the last 21 days, including people you met through dating apps. If you have received a monkeypox diagnosis, you might be asked to share this information to help stop the spread.

If your test result is positive, stay isolated. Observe other prevention practices until your rash has healed. All scabs must fall off and a fresh layer of intact skin has formed before your isolation ends.

Remain isolated if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms, including sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough. Only go out to see a healthcare provider or for an emergency and avoid public transportation.

If you need to leave isolation, you should cover the rash and wear a well-fitting mask.

CDC recommends vaccination for people who have been in close contact with people who have monkeypox. Currently, this outbreak is largely affecting gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men.

People who may be eligible for vaccination include:

● People who have been identified by public health officials as a close contact of someone with monkeypox

● People who may have been exposed to monkeypox, such as:

● People who are aware that one of their sexual partners in the past 2 weeks has been diagnosed with monkeypox

● People who had multiple sexual partners in the past 2 weeks in an area with known monkeypox cases

● Talk to your health care provider if you think you have been exposed to monkeypox or are at high risk for exposure.

Learn more about the symptoms of monkeypox.

No, CDC does not recommend widespread vaccination against monkeypox. Sexually active people are not considered to be at risk unless their sexual partners have monkeypox. Risk increases if they had multiple sex partners in the past 14 days in reported monkeypox areas.

If you want to reduce the risk of monkeypox, you should not:

● have close, skin-to-skin contact with someone with the monkeypox rash

● touch the rash or scabs of someone with monkeypox

● kiss, hug, cuddle, or have sex with someone who has monkeypox

● handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox

● share eating utensils or cups with someone who has monkeypox

Learn more about preventing monkeypox. Find out where monkeypox cases have been reported in the United States. You can also contact your state health department to learn more about monkeypox cases in your area.

The sudden emergence of monkeypox in the U.S. can be alarming. We've spent more than two years living through the COVID-19 pandemic. But monkeypox is not a new virus and does not spread in the same way as COVID-19. The table below shows a comparison of monkeypox and COVID-19. 

Typically found in or linked to central and western African countries.Since May 2022, cases have been identified in many other countries, including the United States. However, monkeypox is much less common than COVID-19.

While it's good to stay alert about emerging public health outbreaks, the current risk of getting monkeypox in the general public is very low.

Hundreds of millions of cases since the start of the pandemic in early 2020, and still spreading widely throughout the world.

When was it first identified?

Not a new virus – around since 1958.

A novel virus - around since 2019.

By very close and/or prolonged contact with someone with symptoms, including through:

Monkeypox is much less contagious than COVID-19.

Through tiny droplets in the air by breathing, talking, sneezing, or coughing. It is extremely infectious. Can spread from others who have the virus, even if they don't have symptoms.

What are the signs and symptoms?

All viruses change and evolve over time. However, the monkeypox virus mutates slower than coronaviruses.

There are two known families or “clades” of monkeypox virus. The West African clade is the one recently identified in Europe, Canada, and the United States. It tends to cause less severe disease.

There are many variants of SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes COVID-19). This virus mutates rapidly.

“What Gay & Bisexual Men Need to Know about Monkeypox”

What is Monkeypox? Symptoms, Transmission and Vaccination Questions Answered  Video courtesy of UC Davis Health

5 Things Sexually Active People Need to Know About Monkeypox

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