With new cases of the virus on the rise - including more than a dozen infections in at least eight states, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) - officials are cautioning that one incident may be tied to human transmission.
The case was first reported by Daily Mail, which said that a person in Colorado is being investigated for the virus after being a “close contact” with a young gay or bisexual man who was found to be infected the day before.
With cases mounting across the world, the WHO has upped the threat level to “moderate."
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cases have been identified in these states:
- California: 3;
- Florida: 3;
- New York: 2;
- Colorado: 2;
- Utah: 2;
- Massachusetts: 1;
- Virginia: 1;
- Washington: 1.
The complete Daily Mail story can be found here.
Symptoms of monkeypox include a rash that could be preceded by a prodrome including fever, lymphadenopathy, and often other non-specific symptoms such as malaise, headache, and muscle aches.
There is no specific treatment for monkeypox virus infection, although antivirals developed for use in patients with smallpox may prove beneficial, officials noted.
“Based on the limited information available at this time, the risk to the public appears low,” according to the CDC. "Some people who may have symptoms of monkeypox, such as characteristic rashes or lesions, should contact their healthcare provider for a risk assessment.”
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