GENEVA: Though droplets can play a role in the transmission of mpox, physical contact remains the dominant mode of its spread, warns World Health Organization (WHO), stressing the need for more research to fully understand the outbreak's dynamics.
The WHO declared an international emergency over mpox on August 14, following a rise in cases of the Clade 1b strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its spread to neighboring countries.
According to the WHO, mpox primarily spreads through close physical contact, including skin-to-skin interactions, such as touching or sexual activity, and mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact, like kissing.
Transmission can also occur through face-to-face interactions that generate infectious respiratory particles, it adds.
WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris says that while close breathing during an infected person’s lesion phase could lead to transmission, this is a minor source compared to direct skin-to-skin contact.
Harris also clarifies that droplets from conversation are not a major transmission route and that mpox is not airborne over long distances.
She stressed the importance of ongoing research to better understand how the virus spreads.
The WHO advises that individuals with mpox, their close contacts, and healthcare workers treating them should wear facemasks.