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Samples of the virus have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to confirm a Monkeypox diagnosis after a patient tested positive for an Orthopox virus on Saturday, June 4 after recent travel to Europe, according to the DC Public Health Lab.
The patient is currently isolating and contact tracing. The public is not believed to be at risk, as no additional cases have been identified in the area.
Monkeypox can be transmitted through direct contact with body fluid or lesions. Transmission from respiratory droplets or contaminated clothing is less common.
Symptoms of monkeypox include a headache, muscle aches, fever or flu like symptoms followed by a rash and lesions. Anyone experiencing similar symptoms are urged to contact their health provider.
There are currently 25 confirmed cases of Monkeypox in the United States. The first confirmations were in Texas and Maryland back in 2021. Several others have been confirmed in 2022, all connected to international travel.
Visit www.linku.findhelp.com to find a testing center near you. For additional information about the ongoing outbreak, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: US Monkeypox 2022 or for more about this virus, visit www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/.
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