Monkeypox is a rare viral illness that does not usually cause serious illness, but can result in hospitalization or death. Monkeypox can be spread from animals to humans and from humans to humans. People can be exposed to monkeypox through bites or scratches from rodents and small mammals, preparing wild game, or having contact with an infected animal or possibly animal products. The current outbreak appears to have spread through human-to-human contact. Based on previous outbreaks, the virus typically does not spread easily between people without close contact. Monkeypox typically begins with a flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes and progresses to a rash on the face and body. Most infections last two to four weeks.
For more information on monkeypox, please visit the following sites:
New York State Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
World Health Organization (WHO)