Everything CDC wants you to know about monkeypox and the current risk level

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided an update on the monkeypox situation in the US, which is connected to a growing multinational outbreak. It used the time to address questions and calm fears.

There are five confirmed and probable cases in the US. A Massachusetts man who had recently traveled to Canada was the only confirmed case of monkeypox in the US. Four probable cases include one in New York City, one in Florida, and two in Utah.

The orthopoxviruses are a family of viruses that include monkeypox and smallpox. While the CDC carries out secondary testing to confirm monkeypox, they are being treated as presumptive monkeypox cases.

The five confirmed and probable cases in the US are all men and all have a history of international travel.

The CDC used today's briefing to highlight that it had the genome of the monkeypox virus from the initial Massachusetts case. The case in Portugal is similar to the one in the genetic sequence.

Most of the confirmed and suspected cases are in Europe. There are 165 confirmed and 83 suspected cases. Men who identify as gay, bisexual or men who have sex with men are the majority of the cases.

Health officials say that this is an unusual outbreak that requires swift action. The risk to the general population is low.

This is not an easily transmissible virus through respiratory droplets, according to the deputy director of the CDC's Division of High Consequence.

Respiratory spread is not the main concern, as we know a lot about monkeypox. In the current outbreak setting and population, it is contact and intimate contact. That is what we wanted to emphasize.

There are a few critical questions and answers.