Monkeypox virus can stay on computer mouse, coffee machine for days: CDC study

A new study on monkeypox by the US disease control body CDC now suggests that the virus can linger on many common household objects for several days despite regular disinfecting.

For this study, a home shared by two monkeypox patients was taken up. The patients regularly disinfected surfaces, washed their hands several times a day and showered more frequently. Despite this, researchers found the virus in 70 per cent of high-contact areas 20 days after their symptoms began. These included couches, blankets, a coffee machine, computer mouse and the light switch.

Can you get infected from a surface virus?

The virus detected on the items and surfaces during the study was dead, suggesting the risk infections could spread is low. The CDC said that cleaning and disinfection practices may have limited the amount of contamination in the home, Bloomberg reported.

Following the study, the US disease control body advised people visiting the home of someone with monkeypox to protect themselves “by wearing a well-fitting mask, avoiding touching possibly contaminated surfaces, maintaining appropriate hand hygiene, avoiding sharing eating utensils, clothing, bedding, or towels and following home disinfection recommendations.”

Monkeypox spreads from person to person through close contact with someone who has a monkeypox rash, including through face-to-face, skin-to-skin, mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-skin contact, including sexual contact. It can also spread through respiratory droplets via ulcers, lesions or sores in the mouth.

Global health body WHO had previously clarified that it is also possible to become infected from a ‘contaminated environment’. For instance when an infectious person touches clothing, bedding, towels, objects, electronics and surfaces – skin flakes or viruses can cause contamination of the environment.