Recently the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in response to MPV – commonly referred to as Monkeypox.
University leaders are closely watching MPV in Michigan and throughout the country. Currently, the risk to the community is low. Unlike COVID-19, MPV is primarily transmitted by close skin-to-skin contact.
The university’s health leaders are having conversations with the Ingham County Health Department and will take its direction from public health officials as it relates to any additional preventive measures. For now, we encourage all community members to wash their hands frequently and see a physician if they have symptoms of MPV.
MPV and how it spreads
MPV is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The disease can make you sick, including a rash or sores, often with an earlier flu-like symptoms including fever, chills, headache, respiratory symptoms. Importantly, MPV is rarely fatal.
Most, but not all, cases in the current outbreak have been in men who have sex with men. It’s important to note, however, that this virus can and likely will spread to other populations.
MPV symptoms
Symptoms of MPV are often flu-like and can include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
Sometimes, people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.
Preventive measures
- Wash your hands frequently
- Avoid skin-to-skin contact with the MPV rash
- Consider the risk of attending events where close, skin-to-skin contact might occur, such as raves, crowded parties, or festivals
- Talk to your partner about any recent illness and be aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body
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