Unlike other viral diseases such as Covid-19 and measles, the smallpox virus is not subject to “airborne transmission,” which involves small particles that remain in the air or spread through the air. drafts, the CDC notes. “In cases where people with smallpox have traveled on airplanes, there have been no known cases of smallpox in people sitting around them, even on long international flights.”
But because of the possibility of monkeypox spreading through respiratory secretions, the agency “recommends that people infected with monkeypox wear a mask if they have to be around other people at home. face – to – face contact is likely “.
Masks are also recommended for healthcare workers and others who may be in close contact with an infected person.
The CDC’s previous guidance had said wearing a mask could help protect travelers from the monkey’s smallpox, but that recommendation was dropped Monday afternoon because it “caused confusion,” the agency said.
The virus spreads mainly through direct contact with the body fluids or ulcers of an infected person, or with contaminated materials such as sheets, according to the guide. Researchers are still learning about other potential methods of transmission, such as contact with semen from an infected person or contact with an asymptomatic infected person.
As of Thursday afternoon, the CDC is reporting 45 probable or confirmed cases of monkeypox in 15 states and the District of Columbia. The CDC has reports of 1,356 confirmed cases in 31 countries where the virus is not endemic.