Cambodia: Confirmed monkeypox (mpox) activity reported in February /update 1

The first confirmed case of mpox in Cambodia was reported in July 2022 in Phnom Penh. Human-to-human transmission occurs among people in close physical contact, with an increase in recent cases linked to sexual contact. The current outbreak highlights the importance of vigilant, safe sexual practices, and mpox can be transmitted while the infected person displays few or no symptoms; however, the risk is currently assessed as low for individuals not routinely engaging with multiple or anonymous sexual partners.

Mpox does not naturally occur in Cambodia; most cases are reported in West and Central Africa, primarily in the DRC, Nigeria, and Cameroon, among individuals who report contact with wild rodents or other mammals that may harbor the disease.

Mpox is caused by a virus that belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. However, mpox is not the same as smallpox and does not have the same capacity for rapid human-to-human transmission. Mpox is mainly transmitted to humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected rodents or primates. Human-to-human transmission primarily occurs through close personal contact with an infected individual via respiratory droplets, direct contact with bodily fluids, or indirect contact with lesion material (e.g., contaminated clothing or bedding). Symptoms typically appear 6-16 days after exposure but can develop up to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms generally include fever, headache, muscle aches and backaches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a distinctive rash characterized by lesions that progress through several stages before falling off.