Monitoring Persons Exposed

Contacts of animals or humans that have been confirmed to have monkeypox should be monitored for symptoms.

Monitoring Contacts with Symptoms

Contacts that develop symptoms of monkeypox (i.e., fever, muscle aches, headache) should be placed under rash surveillance for 7 days following fever onset. If no rash develops, contacts should continue to monitor for symptoms an additional 14 days (21 days total symptom surveillance). If symptoms return or if rash develops the local or state health department should be notified immediately.  

Affected individuals should not donate blood, cells, tissue, organs, breast milk or semen while ill or are under symptom surveillance.

Monitoring Contacts with No Symptoms

Asymptomatic contacts of animals or humans confirmed to have monkeypox should be placed under symptom surveillance for 21 days after their last exposure. Symptoms of concern include fever (temperature 99.3°F), sore throat, cough, or skin rash. Contacts should monitor their temperature twice daily. In addition, they should maintain daily telephone contact with designated health department personnel. If resources permit, closer monitoring is desirable.

Asymptomatic contacts should not donate blood, cells, tissue, organs, breast milk or semen while they are under symptom surveillance.

Asymptomatic contacts can continue routine daily activities (e.g., go to work, school) but should remain close to home for the duration of surveillance. However, it may be prudent to exclude pre-school children from daycare or other group settings.

Monitoring Exposed Healthcare Professionals

Healthcare workers who have unprotected exposures (i.e., not wearing PPE) to patients with monkeypox need not be excluded from duty, but should undergo active surveillance for symptoms, including measurement of temperature at least twice daily for 21 days following the exposure. Prior to reporting for duty each day, the healthcare worker should be interviewed regarding evidence of fever or rash. Healthcare workers who have cared for or otherwise been in contact with exposed monkeypox patients while adhering to recommended infection control precautions do not need to undergo active monitoring. Any healthcare worker who has cared for a monkeypox patient should be alert to the development of symptoms that could suggest monkeypox infection, especially within the 21 day period after the last date of care, and should notify infection control and/or occupational health, or their designees, to be guided about a medical evaluation.