Unless you fall into a high-risk group, the odds of catching monkeypox in Santa Barbara County are low — but not impossible, as five cases had been confirmed as of Monday, according to a report from the county public health officer.

“It is way less contagious than COVID or even smallpox,” Dr. Henning Ansorg told the Board of Supervisors in an update Tuesday.

In addition to the five confirmed cases, Ansorg said the county is pending results from tests on four other potential cases and has evaluated 24 suspected cases as well as 40 people who had contact with the confirmed cases.

Odds low for catching monkeypox in Santa Barbara County | Health & Fitness