CDC Issues, Retracts Monkeypox Mask Recommendation

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is no longer recommending travelers wear masks to prevent the spread of monkeypox.

On Tuesday, the health agency released guidance on several measures — including masking in some situations — designed to prevent the spread of the virus, which is seeing an outbreak in several parts of the world.

Later in the day, however, the CDC removed the masking recommendation to avoid “confusion” about the disease, Reuters reported.

“CDC removed the mask recommendation from the monkeypox Travel Health Notice because it caused confusion,” a CDC spokesperson told Reuters.

Monkeypox spreads primarily through direct contact with an infected person via sores, scabs or bodily fluids. It can also, according to the CDC, be “spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact.”

The Health Alert related to monkeypox remains elevated to Level 2 representing an “Alert” for “Practice Enhanced Precautions.” As of Wednesday, 35 cases have been reported in the U.S.

Monkeypox is a rare disease first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys used for research. The first human case was reported in the 1970s in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, since then, it has mainly been found in central and western African countries. Most of the cases outside Africa have been linked to international travel or imported animals.

Monkeypox does not occur naturally in the United States, but cases have happened that were associated with international travel or importing animals from areas where the disease is more common.

Officials with the World Health Organization said the current rare outbreak is likely a “random event” linked to sexual behavior at two rave parties held in Spain and Belgium.

The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox, typically starting with a fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. The main difference between symptoms of smallpox and monkeypox is that monkeypox causes lymph nodes to swell while smallpox does not. The incubation period for monkeypox is usually 7−14 days but can range from 5−21 days.

The illness begins with:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion

Within 1–3 days after the appearance of fever, the patient develops a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body. Lesions go through several stages before scabbing over and falling off.

The illness typically lasts for 2−4 weeks. In Africa, monkeypox has been shown to cause death in as many as 10% of those who contract the disease.