The virus is only confirmed to spread through intimate contact.

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been closely monitoring the global spread of the monkeypox virus to understand its mode of transmission and how best to control it. Recent speculation suggested that monkeypox had become airborne, similar to COVID-19, but the CDC has clarified that the virus has not reached that stage.

Dispelling rumors, the CDC stated that monkeypox transmission occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids or sores of infected individuals or materials in contact with these fluids, such as clothing or linens. Additionally, the virus may spread through respiratory secretions during close, face-to-face interactions but is not airborne.

The CDC emphasized wearing face masks in indoor settings where close physical contact is likely to prevent the exchange of respiratory droplets. The current outbreak indicates that those infected with monkeypox had sustained physical contact with other infected individuals, prompting the CDC to investigate the potential spread of the virus through other bodily fluids.