Monkeypox is an illness caused by the monkeypox virus. Common symptoms of monkeypox can include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that can look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy. The rash may be on the face, the inside of the mouth, hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus. Symptoms are usually mild or moderate and typically resolve within 2-4 weeks. Monkeypox is rarely fatal.
There is a growing outbreak of monkeypox in the U.S. and globally, and currently cases have primarily been in men who have sex with men. The White House declared monkeypox a national public health emergency on August 4, 2022 and the World Health Organization declared a global health emergency in late July 2022.
Updated August 8, 2022