As monkeypox continues spreading, doctors are clarifying that it's not an STD — rather, some are calling it "sexually associated," since there are other ways it can be spread.
CNN Medical Correspondent Jacqueline Howard said the virus can also be spread through saliva or respiratory secretions — and rarely, from contaminated objects like bedsheets, towels or utensils.
All that taken into account, she said, it's also known that the STD clinics in the U.S. are bearing the brunt of the outbreak.
Missouri currently has 21 known cases of monkeypox. The vaccine is very limited in supply, and is reserved for those who have been exposed to the virus.
Some people are concerned about the virus as the back-to-school season has begun. St. Louis Health Director Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis said there hasn't been much CDC guidance around the topic.
The incubation period for monkeypox can be between five and 14 days, and currently there is no indication that the virus can be spread by someone who is asymptomatic.
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