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STORY: "There should be isolation until the scab drops off, but at least for 21 days. And for close contacts, we also recommend a quarantine of 21 days," he said.

Germany has also ordered 40,000 doses of a Bavarian Nordic vaccine to be ready to vaccinate contacts of those infected with monkeypox if an outbreak in Germany becomes more severe, but officials are banking on other precautionary measures for now.

"This vaccine can be used to prevent infection but also to prevent or at least delay the outbreak of the disease in those already infected. And I expect that we will have a reserve delivered here shortly," said German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach at the joint press conference.

So far, five cases have been registered in Germany, all of whom are men, Wieler added.

A World Health Organization official on Monday issued similar guidance, saying the outbreak does not require mass vaccinations because measures like hygiene and safe sexual behaviour will help control the spread.

The WHO has registered more than 250 confirmed and suspected monkeypox infections, with a geographic spread that is unusual for the disease which is endemic in parts of west and central Africa but rare elsewhere.