Experts say gyms, public transit are 'low risk' settings for monkeypox

Researchers are sounding the alarm after health officials announced that monkeypox has now been "detected in all 50 states," ABC News writes, confirming that Wyoming was the "final state to report a case of the disease."

The Wyoming Health Department's Dr. Alexia Harrist clarified how the disease circulates, explaining that it's unlike most "familiar viruses such as influenza or COVID-19." She said "[b]ecause monkeypox spreads through close, intimate contact we do not believe the risk for the virus is now a higher concern for the local community or for most people in Wyoming."

While cases are continuing to spread across the nation, the areas that have experienced higher infection rates are New York, California, Florida, Texas, and Georgia, ABC shares via the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The chances of someone being infected with monkeypox "outside of a sexual context is extremely low," Insider says. In the early days of the outbreak, the CDC noted that a majority of the cases "occurred in men who have had close sexual or intimate contact" with other men. However, Insider asked experts about other ways the virus could be transmitted — they explained that the gym, restaurant dining, and public transportation are "low risk" settings.

Another way the virus can spread is by touching fabrics used by an individual with monkeypox. For more information visit the CDC's website.