Monkeypox, a virus similar to smallpox, has been spreading rapidly in recent weeks in the United States, particularly among men who have sex with men. On July 23, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency. The Biden administration declared a public health emergency for the United States monkeypox outbreak on Thursday, two months after cases of the disease started appearing in the country.
As with the recent COVID-19 epidemic, social media has been rife with people sharing information on this infectious disease. One viral tweet that has been shared by over thousands of people is from a person who expressed dismay that the virus can spread by "touching someone else’s clothing." Is this true? We rate this claim as mostly true. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that monkeypox can be transmitted by "touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox." However, it is much more likely to spread through intimate contact. Transmission from objects (such as clothes or fabric from furniture) mainly occurs when fluids from lesions fall onto fabrics used extensively by an infected person.It is important to know that anyone can be infected with monkeypox. If you’re in contact with someone who has been diagnosed with monkeypox, you’re at risk. It’s a viral disease that spreads through close contact. So that means being in physical contact with somebody who has the disease or anything they’ve touched for a prolonged period, if they have an active lesion. For example, if you’re doing laundry for someone who has monkeypox, you could be exposed.
