They should contact their doctors immediately upon noticing genital herpes sores. A pregnant woman with signs or symptoms of genital herpes must inform her doctor as soon as possible. Prompt medical therapy may reduce the risk of transmitting the disease to newborn children by exposure in the birth canal. In otherwise healthy people, genital herpes outbreaks rarely require hospital visits. If you are experiencing an initial episode of herpes and cannot be seen by your regular doctor within the first few days of the illness, go to a hospital's Emergency Department to have medical treatment started.
Some people can become quite ill from herpes infections.
If you have a high fever, severe headache, shortness of breath, or extreme fatigue, go to the hospital for evaluation. The herpes virus may quickly spread to the brain, lungs, and other organs. If this is your situation, seek prompt medical attention for herpes outbreaks. Go to a hospital if there is any sign of illness other than sores on the genitals. Doctors may also take a swab of the sore and send the swab to the laboratory to see if the virus is present.