People typically develop symptoms five to 21 days after being exposed to the mpox virus. Symptoms occur in two stages and typically last from two to four weeks.
In stage one, symptoms may include:
- fever
- chills
- swollen lymph nodes
- headache
- muscle pain
- joint pain
- back pain
- exhaustion
In stage two of the illness, a rash develops - usually within one to three days (sometimes longer) after the fever starts. The rash often starts on the face or extremities, however it can affect other parts of the body, such as the hands, feet, mouth and genitals.
The rash can last between 14 and 21 days and changes through different stages before finally forming a scab which later falls off.
