Monkeypox Can Linger On Common Household Items: CDC

By OB Bureau On Aug 22, 2022

New Delhi: Even though two monkeypox patients sharing a home said they disinfected surfaces, washed their hands several times a day and showered regularly, researchers found the virus on 70% of high-contact areas 20 days after their symptoms began, including on couches, blankets, a coffee machine, computer mouse and light switch, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention said.

This suggests that monkeypox virus can linger on many common household objects, though it’s not yet clear if that can spread the infection.

However, no live virus was detected on any of the items or surfaces, suggesting the risk of the infection spreading is low. The CDC said that cleaning and disinfection practices may have limited the amount of contamination in the home, The Indian Express reported.

The study sheds new light on the behaviour of the monkeypox virus while also raising questions.

* Monkeypox primarily spreads through direct contact with lesions or respiratory secretions during sustained close contact with someone who is sick.

* More than 90% of monkeypox cases in the US were associated with recent male-to-male sexual contact, according to a different CDC study.

* The virus can also spread through fluids or objects used by an infected person, but it’s not yet clear how much some surface contamination contributes to indirect transmission of the virus, according to the study.

* People visiting the home of someone with monkeypox should still protect themselves “by wearing a well-fitting mask, avoiding touching possibly contaminated surfaces, maintaining appropriate hand hygiene, avoiding sharing eating utensils, clothing, bedding, or towels and following home disinfection recommendations.