Monkeypox on campus: Schools should be proactive to curb spread, experts say

Experts say schools should be raising awareness about the risks of monkeypox as students prepare to come together to kick off a new semester.

Canadian universities and colleges should be proactive to prevent monkeypox from spreading among students, say experts, warning that a lack of education could give the virus a chance to gain a foothold on campus.

Schools should be raising awareness about the risks of monkeypox as students prepare to come together to kick off a new semester with jam-packed festivities where the virus is liable to spread, said University of Manitoba virologist Jason Kindrachuk.

READ MORE: About half of Canadians are worried about monkeypox outbreak, survey says

“We’re moving into a time of year where there are going to be kids, particularly those that are at an age that are more sexually active … undertaking different social events that may put them in situations where there’s an elevated risk,” said Kindrachuk, an assistant professor in medical microbiology and infectious diseases.

So far, monkeypox cases in Canada have been concentrated among men who reported intimate sexual contact with other men, Kindrachuk noted, but the risk of infection is not limited to any group or setting.

The virus spreads through close, often skin-to-skin, contact with an infected person’s lesions, their clothing or bedsheets. Symptoms can include rash, swollen lymph nodes and fever, and typically last two to four weeks.

While a handful of U.S. universities have reported monkeypox infections, there are no signs to suggest the virus is currently circulating on Canadian campuses.

But Kindrachuk said it’s possible that could change as back-to-school season of crowded social events, cramped dorm rooms and high rates of sexual activity invites more opportunities for potential exposure.