CDC Issues Traveler Advice on Monkeypox: ‘Use Enhanced Precautions’

(CNN) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a “Level 2 Alert” advisory for travelers to “practice enhanced precautions” due to the spread of monkeypox, a rare disease that is related to smallpox.

In its recommendations, the CDC stated that “The risk to the general public is low, but you should seek immediate medical attention if you develop a new unexplained skin rash (lesion on any part of the body) with or without fever and chills.” “

The CDC has three types of levels it can issue as cases have been reported in dozens of destinations. Levels:

• Watch — Level 1: Take the usual precautions
• Warning — Level 2: Take extra precautions
• Warning — Level 3: Avoid non-essential travel

Level 2 Precautions

The CDC makes the following recommendations for travelers as we are at Level 2:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, including those with skin or genital lesions.

• Avoid contact with dead or live wild animals. This includes rodents such as rats and squirrels, and non-human primates such as monkeys and great apes.

• Avoid eating or preparing wild animal meat or using African wild animal products such as creams, lotions and powders.

• Avoid contact with contaminated materials used by sick people, such as clothing, bedding, or materials used in healthcare settings, or with materials that have been in contact with infected animals.

Where has monkeypox been reported?

Eiffel Tower in Paris. France is one of the countries where cases of monkeypox have been reported.

Adobe Stock

Confirmed cases of monkeypox, usually associated with tropical Africa, have now become global. The CDC says cases have been reported in Europe, North America, South America, North Africa, the Middle East and Australia.

Here is a list of CDC referrals with confirmed cases as of June 6:

• Argentina
• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• England
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Gibraltar
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Latvia
• Malta
• Mexico City
• Morocco
• Netherlands
• Northern Ireland
• Norway
• Portugal
• Scotland
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Wales

The UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland), Spain and Portugal have reported the most cases so far, each with over 100 cases as of 6 June. All other countries reported fewer than 100 cases as of June 6. Press here. to see the CDC’s current map of global outbreaks.

Monkeypox symptoms

The palms of a monkeypox patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1997.

Brian WJ Mahy/CDC/Handout/Reuters

According to the CDC, the incubation period is seven to 14 days. Initial symptoms tend to be flu-like, such as fever, chills, exhaustion, headache, and muscle weakness, followed by swelling of the lymph nodes that help the body fight infection and disease.

“The feature that distinguishes monkeypox infection from smallpox is the development of swollen…