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Should travelers worry about mpox? Not necessarily, health expert says.

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Should travelers worry about mpox? Not necessarily, health expert says.

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  • Mpox cases are on the rise in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries.
  • The first case outside Africa was detected in Sweden last week.
  • Travelers don’t need to be too concerned yet, but experts recommend getting vaccinated before going to African countries where the virus has been circulating.

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With mpox cases on the move after a surge in cases in Africa, travelers may fear risks to their health.

The disease – formerly monkeypox – has been on the rise in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other African countries. The first case outside Africa was detected in Sweden last week.

The type circulating there known as clade I is different from clade II, which has been in the U.S. after a global outbreak in 2022. A new variant, clade Ib, appears to be more transmissible and deadly. The World Health Organization has declared mpox a global public health emergency for the second time in two years.

But travelers don’t need to be too concerned yet.

“I think they ought to note this,” Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert and professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told USA TODAY. “I don’t know that they should be worried about it.”

What is mpox?

Mpox is endemic in parts of Central and West Africa, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“People usually get mpox through contact with the skin lesions or bodily fluids of infected wild animals in Africa (alive or dead) or humans, including respiratory secretions, or through contact with materials contaminated with the virus such as bedding clothing, and sex toys,” the health agency said on its website. The virus can also be contracted during sex or other close contact.

Headache, muscle aches, rash, swollen lymph nodes and fever are among the common symptoms.

At least a dozen African countries with outbreaks have seen more than 2,800 confirmed cases this year and over 500 deaths, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. There are more than 17,000 suspected cases across the continent.

Should travelers be worried about mpox?

Schaffner recommended travelers going to African countries where the virus has been circulating get vaccinated before they go given the “highly communicable” nature of the new strain. The CDC has a Level 2 advisory in place for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighboring countries, warning travelers to “practice enhanced precautions.”

“I think if you’re traveling to other countries at the moment, there’s essentially no risk,” Schaffner added.

Thailand has detected an mpox case in a European man who arrived from Africa last week and is awaiting test results to determine the strain, a disease control official said Wednesday.

Though clade II cases in the U.S. have primarily been seen among men who have sex with men – though anyone can become infected – Schaffner said the clade I cases circulating in Africa appear to be “more generally distributed.”

How can travelers protect their health?

Travelers who got vaccinated for mpox in the wake of the 2022 outbreak don’t need a booster at the moment, according to Schaffner. “It looks as though your protection will still be viable, and so that’s a very good thing,” he said.

The CDC also recommended travelers to the DRC or neighboring countries avoid close contact with people who have symptoms of mpox and wild animals such as rats, squirrels and monkeys – living or dead.

Visitors should also steer clear of meat or products derived from wild animals, including lotions, creams and powders, and avoid contaminated materials. Schaffner said hotel bedding and other linens are safe, provided they’re “appropriately laundered.”

Travelers who get a “new, unexplained skin rash” should immediately seek medical care.

Schaffner said infectious disease experts expect further spread of mpox to other countries and recommended travelers stay tuned for developments.

“The world is a very small place,” he said. “These viruses travel with us. They don’t need passports.”

Contributing: Pararat Thepgumpanat and Panu Wongcha-um, Reuters

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

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