Mpx Information
Updated 9/4/24
With the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ declaration that the ongoing spread of Mpx virus (formally known as Mpox) in the United States is a Public Health Emergency, this action will further strengthen and accelerate the U.S. Administration’s response to combat the Mpx outbreak and protect communities at risk.
Please note that the national and California declarations do not mean that Mpx is as widely contagious as COVID-19 continues to be. There are personal prevention measures that the CSUMB campus community can adopt as they return to campus to reduce their risk of contracting Mpx.
How Mpx spreads, exposure, symptoms, testing, vaccines, and treatment
We ask the CSUMB campus community to refer to the Monterey County Health Department’s webpage as CSUMB’s health and safety procedures are guided by our local health leadership based on the county’s latest surveillance data. MCHD site also informs the campus community of the current availability and triage for Mpx testing, vaccines, and treatment.
Resources
County of Monterey Health Department
California Department of Public Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
What to do if you are sick
If you feel sick or have any rash or sores, separate from others immediately, isolate at home do not attend any gatherings, and call the Campus Health Center at 831-582-3965 for further guidance.
On-campus Mpx-positive students and employees should isolate at home. To receive support services, CSUMB requests that students and employees self-disclose to the University two times.
- Awaiting Mpx swab test results, first self-disclosure
- After receiving a confirmed positive (or negative) test result, second self-disclosure
How to self-disclose:
Students disclose to the Campus Health Center at 831-582-3965.
Employees disclose to Human Resources or University Corporation Human Resources.
If a student discloses a positive case to faculty/staff or an employee of Student Housing & Residential Life, the faculty or staff member should direct the student to disclose the positive case to the Campus Health Center.
If an employee discloses to their department's appropriate administrator, the administrator should direct the employee to disclose the positive case to Human Resources or University Corporation Human Resources.
Students waiting for Mpx test results should:
- Isolate at home.
- Immediately inform each faculty member via phone or email that they will be absent from class because they are ill. Students who need help contacting all faculty regarding their absence from class may seek the support of the Care Manager.
- If confirmed positive for Mpx, the student should immediately call the Campus Health Center and the Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC) if the following accommodations are needed:
- a temporary, remote academic attendance accommodation, if applicable
- on-campus isolation housing, if available
Students process for requesting temporary, remote academic attendance from SDAC.
- Proof of a positive Mpx test result will be required for eligibility for temporary, remote academic attendance during the isolation period, up to four weeks.
- Students should call the Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC) to request an appointment.
- Students are to provide proof of a positive Mpx test during their scheduled virtual meeting and to complete the interactive process to acquire a temporary, remote attendance accommodation letter.
- Upon receiving the SDAC accommodation letter, the student is to email the accommodation letter to each of their faculty immediately.
Students process for returning to campus upon recovery.
- Students must make an appointment with a physician to confirm full recovery and obtain a return to work/school statement before returning to campus.
- Upon receiving the return to work/school statement, students may return to their in-person courses and campus life.
- If the student left campus housing to recover, they may return to their permanently assigned on-campus residence.
- Students who work at the university should contact either Human Resources or University Corporation HR and their work supervisor before returning to in-person work.
- If needed, a physician's letter extending a student’s isolation beyond four weeks will be required as proof for the Student Disability and Accessibility Center (SDAC) to extend the accommodation.
Cal OSHA has yet to establish and announce employer requirements regarding campus-wide notifications of Mpx exposure or Mpx employee sick leave. Until then, there will be no campus notifications or disclosures. Monterey County will conduct all contact tracing and notify to close contacts. Human Resources and Corporation Human Resources will follow established sick leave procedures.