Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a viral infection that has grabbed global attention due to its increasing spread and impact on public health. This virus is part of the same family as smallpox but is generally less severe. Let’s explore the various ways mpox can be transmitted from one individual to another. Direct Human-to-Human Transmission Close or Intimate Contact One of the primary ways mpox spreads is through close or intimate contact with an infected individual. The virus can be transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact with the rash, scabs, or bodily fluids of someone who has mpox. This contact can occur during various forms of intimate activities, including sex, kissing, or hugging. Pregnant individuals who contract mpox can also pass the virus to their fetus during pregnancy or to their newborn during and after birth. Additionally, prolonged face-to-face interactions, such as talking or breathing in close proximity to an infected person, can also facilitate the spread of the virus through respiratory secretions, including saliva, snot, and mucus. Read more: What is Mpox? How does it affect people? Touching Contaminated Objects and Surfaces Another significant mode of transmission for mpox is through contact with objects, fabrics, and surfaces that have been contaminated by an infected person. This includes items like clothing, bedding, and towels that have not been properly disinfected. The virus can survive on these surfaces for extended periods, making it easy for someone else to contract the virus by touching these contaminated items. Respiratory Droplets While close physical contact is the most common way mpox spreads, the virus can also be transmitted through respiratory droplets. During face-to-face interactions, especially over a prolonged period, the virus can be expelled into the air through coughing, sneezing, or even talking. These droplets can then be inhaled by another person, leading to infection. However, it is important to note that the risk of transmission through respiratory droplets is lower compared to direct skin-to-skin contact. Sexual Transmission The mpox virus can be transmitted through sexual activity. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has had some cases where mpox transmission was linked with sexual contact, highlighting the importance of safe sexual practices in preventing the spread of mpox. Read more: Mpox: Common Signs and Symptoms Animal-to-Human Transmission Contact with Infected Animals Mpox is a zoonotic virus, meaning it can spread from animals to humans. The virus is endemic in certain regions of West and Central Africa, where it is naturally found in small wild animals, including rodents and primates. Humans can contract the virus through direct contact with these infected animals, their fluids, or waste. Activities such as hunting, trapping, or processing wild animals in these regions pose a higher risk of contracting mpox.

Officials in New York City declared a public health emergency due to the spread of the monkeypox virus Saturday, calling the city “the epicenter” of the outbreak. The announcement Saturday by Mayor Eric Adams and health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan said as many as 150,000 city residents could be at risk of infection. The declaration will allow officials to issue emergency orders under the city health code and amend code provisions to implement measures to help slow the spread. In the last two days, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency declaration and the state health department called monkeypox an “imminent threat to public health.” New York had recorded 1,345 cases as of Friday, according to data compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. California had the second-most, with 799. “We will continue to work with our federal partners to secure more doses as soon as they become available,” Adams and Vasan said in the statement. "This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment.” Read:San Francisco declares emergency over monkeypox spread The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency on July 23 and San Francisco's mayor on Thursday announced a state of emergency over the growing number of cases. The once-rare disease has been established in parts of central and west Africa for decades but was not known to spark large outbreaks beyond the continent or to spread widely among people until May, when authorities detected dozens of epidemics in Europe, North America and elsewhere. To date, there have been more than 22,000 monkeypox cases reported in nearly 80 countries since May, with about 75 suspected deaths in Africa, mostly in Nigeria and Congo. On Friday, Brazil and Spain reported deaths linked to monkeypox, the first reported outside Africa. Spain reported a second monkeypox death Saturday. The virus spreads through prolonged and close skin-to-skin contact as well as sharing bedding, towels and clothing. In Europe and North America, it has spread primarily among men who have sex with men, though health officials emphasize that the virus can infect anyone. The type of monkeypox virus identified in this outbreak is rarely fatal, and people usually recover within weeks. But the lesions and blisters caused by the virus are painful.

European and American health authorities have identified a number of monkeypox cases in recent days, mostly in young men. It’s a surprising outbreak of a disease that rarely appears outside Africa. Health officials around the world are keeping watch for more cases because, for the first time, the disease appears to be spreading among people who didn’t travel to Africa. They stress, however, that the risk to the general population is low. WHAT IS MONKEYPOX? Monkeypox is a virus that originates in wild animals like rodents and primates, and occasionally jumps to people. Most human cases have been in central and west Africa, where the disease is endemic. The illness was first identified by scientists in 1958 when there were two outbreaks of a “pox-like” disease in research monkeys — thus the name monkeypox. The first known human infection was in 1970, in a 9-year-old boy in a remote part of Congo. Monkeypox belongs to the same virus family as smallpox but causes milder symptoms. Most patients only experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. The incubation period is from about five days to three weeks. Most people recover within about two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized. Monkeypox can be fatal for up to one in 10 people and is thought to be more severe in children. People exposed to the virus are often given one of several smallpox vaccines, which have been shown to be effective against monkeypox. Anti-viral drugs are also being developed. On Thursday, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control recommended all suspected cases be isolated and that high-risk contacts be offered the smallpox vaccine. The World Health Organization estimates there are thousands of monkeypox infections in about a dozen African countries every year. Most are in Congo, which reports about 6,000 cases annually, and Nigeria, with about 3,000 cases a year. Also Read: US case of monkeypox reported in Massachusetts man Patchy health monitoring systems mean many infected people are likely missed, experts say. Isolated cases of monkeypox are occasionally spotted outside Africa, including in the U.S. and Britain. The cases are typically associated with travel to Africa or contact with animals from areas where the disease is more common. In 2003, 47 people in six U.S. states had confirmed or probable cases. They caught the virus from pet prairie dogs that been housed near imported small mammals from Ghana. It’s the first time monkeypox appears to be spreading among people who didn’t travel to Africa. Most of the cases involve men who have had sex with men. In Europe, infections have been reported in Britain, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. Britain’s Health Security Agency said its cases are not all connected, suggesting that there are multiple chains of transmission happening. The infections in Portugal were picked up at a sexual health clinic, where the men sought help for lesions on their genitals. On Wednesday, U.S. officials reported a case of monkeypox in a man who had recently traveled to Canada. The Public Health Agency of Canada also confirmed two cases related to that positive test. Health officials in Quebec earlier said they suspected 17 cases in the Montreal area. It’s possible, but it’s unclear at the moment. Monkeypox has not previously been documented to have spread through sex, but it can be transmitted through close contact with infected people, their body fluids and their clothing or bedsheets. Michael Skinner, a virologist at Imperial College London, said it’s still too early to determine how the men in the U.K. were infected. “By nature, sexual activity involves intimate contact, which one would expect to increase the likelihood of transmission, whatever a person’s sexual orientation and irrespective of the mode of transmission,” Skinner said. Francois Balloux of University College London said monkeypox said sex qualifies as the kind of close contact needed to transmit the disease. The U.K. cases “do not necessarily imply any recent change in the virus’ route of transmission,” Balloux said.