Air Transport & Communicable Diseases

No. Mpox is endemic to regions of Central Africa, especially areas around tropical rainforests. In fact, while smallpox was eradicated in 1980, mpox has continued to occur in countries of central and west Africa, and since May 2022, cases have also been reported from countries without previously documented mpox transmission outside the African region.

• Direct contact with infected animals, such as certain types of monkeys, squirrels and other rodents
• Close contact (especially intimate contact) with a person with mpox, particularly by contact with the disease’s characteristic skin rash.
• Direct contact with contaminated materials.

Transmission can occur through direct contact with infectious skin or other lesions such as in the mouth or on genitals. The virus enters the body through broken skin, mucosal surfaces (e.g., oral, ocular, genital, anorectal), or via the respiratory tract.

In some people, the first and/or more obvious manifestation of mpox is a rash whose lesions develop into blisters filled with liquid. As the rash heals, the lesions dry up, crust over and fall off. Until this happens and a new, healthy layer of skin has formed, people with mpox are infectious. People can also have other symptoms before or after the rash appears, like malaise, fever, pains.

Symptoms usually begin within a week but typically start anytime between 5 and 21 days after exposure.

• Avoiding contact with animals in endemic areas.
• Avoiding close contact with people who are ill, particularly if they have or report having a rash.
• Good hand hygiene, e.g. with soap and water or an alcohol-based solution, in case of direct contact with risk animals or persons who are ill or suspected to be ill.
• Getting vaccinated according to local public health authority criteria for risk groups.

WHO does not recommend any international travel or trade restriction measures. WHO currently recommends to refrain the implementation of such measures.

Like for other contagious diseases in general, any person feeling unwell, including having a fever with rash-like illness, should avoid travelling.

The usual guidelines for managing suspected communicable diseases apply during travel.

The situation will continue to be monitored at a global level.