Clinician Alert 

Monkeypox Specimen Collection Revisited

June 2, 2022

This alert provides a brief update on specimen collection and submission.  Please refer to the Health District’s prior monkeypox alert issued May 23, 2022, for the full list of requested actions and background information.   

Requested actions

• Report suspected cases of monkeypox to the Health District immediately at 425-339-3503.  
• Please keep the patient on-site in a single-patient room using standard, contact, and droplet precautions (with addition of airborne isolation precautions if feasible).  
• Coordinate specimen collection and submission with the Health District. This linked document provides updated directions.  Note that these specimen require category A handling and shipping. 

Additional Resources

• What Clinicians Need to Know About Monkeypox (archived webinar and slides). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (accessed June 2, 2022).
• Monkeypox.  Washington State Department of Health (accessed June 2, 2022).
• US Monkeypox 2022: Situation Summary. CDC (accessed June 2, 2022).
• Epidemiologic Update: Monkeypox Multi-Country Outbreak.   European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (accessed May 31, 2022).