Is Monkeypox Contagious?

Many people tend to wonder, ‘Is Monkeypox contagious?’ Well, it’s true that Monkeypox is contagious and can spread through close contact. This includes touching, kissing, contaminated clothing or materials, and also through penetrative sex (vaginal or anal) with an infectious person. 

Once infected by the virus, it can take 5 to 21 days before experiencing the first symptoms. The key signs include fever, swelling of the lymph nodes around your neck, and wide-spread rashes.

Based on the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, those who engage in sex with multiple partners are at higher risk of Monkeypox infection. 

Spread of Monkeypox

As you try to get answers to the question, ‘Is Monkeypox communicable?’ Please note that Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease. The World Health Organization says it can spread from animals to humans. However, the present evidence shows that Monkeypox spreads in 3 significant ways as follows:

1. From human-to-human

Monkeypox can spread from one person to another through contact with:

• Bodily fluids, including saliva, blood, or semen
• Scabs or lesions of an already infected person- The lesions could be present on the skin or internal mucosal surfaces, like in the throat or mouth, eyes, genitals, rectum, or anus.

Monkeypox can spread through respiratory molecules, mainly when you do any of the following:

• Talk
• Breathe
• Cough or sneeze

You can also get infected with the virus when in close contact scenarios like these:

• When living in the same house with an infected person
• When giving home care to an infected person
• During sexual intercourse, including oral and non-penetrative sexual contact

2. From animals-to-humans

Monkeypox spreads from animals to humans when people come into close contact with an infected animal. This includes some monkey species and terrestrial rodents like the tree squirrel. Physical contact can happen in the following ways;

• Animal bites or scratches
• During activities like hunting, trapping, or skinning.

The spread of Monkeypox also happens when you get into direct contact with any personal item belonging to the person with Monkeypox. 

Conclusion

Monkeypox is a contagious disease that spreads through close contact. The spread of Monkeypox happens from human to human, animal to human, or when you get into direct contact with contaminated materials or objects. So, if you know someone infected, try to avoid getting into close contact with them. It would help if you were more careful when giving home care to an infected person.