Is the Monkeypox Outbreak Over—or Just Taking a Breather?

It’s only been a couple of months since some cities, such as New York, declared the monkeypox outbreak that started in 2022 “over,” but Chicago health officials have issued a warning that from April 17 to just this week seven new cases have been reported there. While they’ve classified the severity of the alert as “low,” they note that only one case had been reported from February 1 through April 16. So, in addition to practicing basic health precautions like frequent handwashing and avoiding contact with obviously ill individuals, they’re advising residents to avoid overcrowded spaces and to use safe sexual practices. If symptoms develop within 2 weeks of being in affected areas, individuals should seek medical attention. In 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Mpox page, there were 30,361 cases of monkeypox, including 42 deaths, during the last outbreak in the United States.