Dr. Manish Garg, emergency medicine physician and co-founder of the World Academic Council of Emergency Medicine, spoke with Bobby Cuza on “Inside City Hall” Friday to discuss the recent monkeypox surge. 

He emphasized that the primary way to contract the virus is skin to skin — meaning coming into contact with someone with an open rash. 

“It’s been reported to happen through respiratory droplets, but only if you have prolonged face to face contact with somebody who has that,” he said.

Garg also highlighted that anyone can receive monkeypox and discussed the importance of getting vaccinated if someone who has been exposed or in the high risk group. 

As of Aug. 5, the city has a total of 1,738 positive cases of presumed monkeypox, according to the city’s Department of Health.

Learn more about monkeypox from NY1’s monkeypox explainer.