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Monkeypox is spreading, prompting school officials to implement
plans for a possible outbreak on campus. More than 7,000 cases
have been confirmed in the U.S., with nearly 800 in Illinois.
Eric Jome, director of media relations at Illinois State
University, said school officials are in a “wait and see” mode.
“At this point, we’re gathering information and monitoring the
situation at the state level to see where this is going,” Jome
said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, the risk of contracting monkeypox is “believed to be
low.” Monkeypox is most often associated with a rash that can
appear anywhere on the body including the face, hands and inside
the mouth, but symptoms can also include headaches, muscle aches
and fever.
The virus spreads through physical contact with the monkeypox
rash, and the vast majority of people affected by the current
outbreak appear to be catching it through sexual contact. That
is why there are concerns being raised on college campuses.
Kim Rendfeld, a spokesperson for Southern Illinois University,
said the school is advising students that the best way to
protect themselves is through education.
“We are reminding students that monkeypox can affect anyone
regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation, and we ask
our campus community to remember our commitment to diversity,
equity and inclusion,” Rendfeld said in a statement.
With the monkeypox virus, there is a different dynamic than with
the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 is usually contagious for
less than ten days, but a monkeypox infection can last for
weeks. That means a student who contracts the virus may need to
isolate for a significant portion of their semester.
Duane Bonifer, associate vice president of communications at
Monmouth College, said the school is more prepared for another
virus outbreak because of the circumstances the past two years.
“For a student, we actually have a building on campus that can
still serve as a place to quarantine them because of what we
went through with COVID,” Bonifer said.
Earlier this month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared monkeypox a
public health emergency to help coordinate a statewide response.
Kevin Bessler reports on statewide issues in Illinois
for the Center Square. He has over 30 years of experience in radio
news reporting throughout the Midwest.
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