CDC: No signs of monkeypox airborne transmission

Airborne transmission of monkeypox has not been reported yet amid the ongoing outbreak, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

Why it matters: The U.S. has confirmed at least 45 monkeypox cases in 15 states and D.C. as of Friday. There have been more than 1,000 monkeypox cases globally from 29 different countries.

Driving the news: The CDC said Thursday that the virus can be spread through "saliva or respiratory secretions" during face-to-face interactions, but the secretions will "drop out of the air quickly."

• "In instances where people who have monkeypox have travelled on airplanes, no known cases of monkeypox occurred in people seated around them, even on long international flights," the CDC said in its guidance.

Yes, but: The agency recommends those infected with monkeypox "wear a mask if they must be around others in their homes if close, face-to-face contact is likely."

The big picture: Scientists told the New York Times that the monkeypox virus can be airborne over short distances, but it's still unclear how much it can spread through the air.

• Per CNN, monkeypox primarily spread through direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids, as well as contaminated materials.
• The CDC has asked clinicians to keep an eye out for symptoms to better understand the virus' spread, Politico reports.