Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox. In early August 2022 both the White House and the State of California declared monkeypox a public health emergency, as cases are being reportedly increasing. The emergency declarations are aimed at bolstering vaccination efforts. 

Thanks to Montage Health for their just published webpage, What you should know about Monkeypox, (https://montagehealth.org/the-beat/monkeypox/) by Dr. Martha Blum, director of infection prevention at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. See a short video, read a Q and A, and get further resources, including:

• Monterey County Health Department - https://co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/health/diseases/monkeypox 
• California Department of Public Health - https://cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Monkeypox.aspx 
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention - https://cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/