Monkeypox Information

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About Monkeypox

    • Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus not commonly seen in the United States.

    • Monkeypox can cause a rash that can look like pimples or blisters. People can also experience flu-like sickness.

    • Monkeypox spreads through close, personal, usually skin-to-skin contact including:

      • Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scab, or body fluids from someone with monkeypox. This is currently the most common way to spread monkeypox in the US.

      • Touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox

      • Contact with saliva or other liquid that can come from your lungs, throat, or mouth

    • Examples of close, personal contact, include:

      • Oral, anal, and vaginal sex or touching the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus (butthole) of a person with monkeypox

      • Hugging, massage, and kissing

      • Prolonged face-to-face contact

      • 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

    • Monkeypox can be spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has healed, all scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take several weeks.

    • Monkeypox symptoms can start within three weeks from when you had close contact with someone with the virus. You may experience all or a few of the symptoms of monkeypox:

      • Fever

      • Headache

      • Muscle aches and backache

      • Swollen lymph nodes

      • Chills

      • Exhaustion (feeling very tired)

      • A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.

    • Most people with monkeypox recover in two to four weeks without needing treatment.

  • Take the following steps to prevent getting Monkeypox:

    • Get the Monkeypox vaccine if you are eligible.

      • Avoid close, skin to skin contact with the monkeypox rash.

      • Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with Monkeypox.

      • Do not kiss, hug, cuddle or have sex with someone with Monkeypox.

      • Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person who is sick.

      • Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person who is sick.

      • Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially after contact with anyone who is sick.

    • A person who is sick with Monkeypox should be isolated at home. If they have an active rash or other symptoms, they should be in a separate room or area from other family members and pets when possible.

    • For more information about Monkeypox isolation guidance, check the CDC webpage.

Testing

If you have symptoms or have been exposed to monkeypox, contact your health care provider as soon as possible to be tested. Health care providers can provide testing and care for people who are diagnosed with monkeypox. If you do not have a health care provider, contact your local health department for guidance.

Monkeypox testing in the Milwaukee area can be found at:

Vaccination

  • Vaccination is currently recommended for people with known exposure to someone with monkeypox and people with certain risk factors who are more likely to be exposed to the monkeypox virus.

    • Vaccination is open to individuals 18 years and older who live or work in Wisconsin and meet at least one of the following criteria:

      • People with a known sexual partner in the past 14 days who was diagnosed with monkeypox.

      • People who attended an event/venue where monkeypox exposure occurred or plan to attend an event/venue where monkeypox exposure is a risk.

      • Any men who have sex with men, trans men and women, and gender non-conforming/non-binary individuals who have or expect to have multiple sexual partners.

      • People who have contact with someone with monkeypox who are identified by public health officials through case investigation, contact tracing, and risk exposure assessments.

      • Health care personnel including clinical laboratory or research personnel who perform testing to diagnose or work directly with orthopoxviruses, and health care providers working in sexual health clinics or other specialty settings directly caring for patients with sexually transmitted infections.

    • Monkeypox vaccines are available without an appointment:

      • Menomonee Valley Drive-Thru Clinic, 2401 W. St. Paul Ave.

        • Monday, Wednesday, Fridays: 12 - 6 p.m.

        • Tuesday & Thursday: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

    • Monkeypox Vaccination Events. Find an event near you.

Take action to protect yourself & those around you.

Information on this page are sourced from the Centers for Disease Control, Medical College of Wisconsin, and Johns Hopkins Medicine.