The public needs to be aware, so that they can recognize symptoms and notify their health care providers, who can then alert local health departments if needed.
While there’s currently no proven, safe treatment for monkeypox, the CDC will soon have vaccines available.
After infection, there is an incubation period of roughly 1-2 weeks (range 5-21 days).
The development of initial symptoms (e.g., fever, malaise, headache, weakness, lymphadenopathy, etc.) marks the beginning of the prodromal period. Shortly after the prodrome, a rash appears.
Lesions typically begin to develop simultaneously and evolve together on any given part of the body. The evolution of lesions progresses through four stages—macular, papular, vesicular, to pustular—before scabbing over and resolving.
The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks. The severity of illness can depend upon the initial health of the individual, the route of exposure, and the strain of the infecting virus. Not all infections follow the typical course.