Monkey pox is most likely to be contracted by people who have recently been in contact with infected animals, such as monkeys, mice, squirrels, or other wildlife. Infected animals can pass along the virus to humans through direct contact, such as a bite or a scratch, or even indirectly, through air droplets released when an infected animal sneezes or coughs.
People who travel to, and live in, certain parts of the world such as Central Africa and West Africa, are more at risk of getting monkey pox.