How can you protect yourself from Monkeypox and prevent transmission?

January 2020 was the last time the United States declared a public health emergency and that to Covid-19.

Now there’s a new virus on the scene, Monkeypox, that has caused the United States to have the largest outbreak in the world.

At the end of last month, the Biden Administration declared Monkeypox to be a public health emergency, as there are more than 6,600 confirmed cases of Monkeypox in 48 states as of June 28th, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus is known for forming rashes and raised pustules on the skin.

Dr. John Goldman, Infectious Disease Specialist with UPMC Harrisburg, said because the disease can only spread through direct skin to skin contact to a lesion or fluid from a lesion, it spreads much slower than COVID-19.

"I expect that we're going to see more cases in the United States, we're going to see more cases in central Pennsylvania, but we're not going to see anything like what we saw with COVID-19." said Goldman. "We're not going to have mask in public, go to remote learning, have colleges shut down their classrooms. It's a totally different level of transmission. There are just simply fewer cases."

Most Moneypox cases have been transmitted through sexual and predominantly among the gay and bisexual men community.

Some of the symptoms for the disease are:

Fever
Chills
Swollen lymph nodes
Exhaustion
Muscle aches and backache
Headache
Respiratory symptoms
Rash and lesions

If you experience any of these symptoms call your doctor for further instructions.

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