Public health officials are investigating the first suspected case of monkeypox in California, Sacramento County Public Health Officer Olivia Kasirye said on Tuesday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th May, 2022) Public health officials are investigating the first suspected case of monkeypox in California, Sacramento County Public Health Officer Olivia Kasirye said on Tuesday.
"On May 21, Sacramento County Public Health received a report from a healthcare provider about an individual with a suspected case of monkeypox," Kasirye said during a press briefing. "We are awaiting confirmation testing from the Centers for Disease Control (and Prevention)."
Kasirya said the individual in question recently returned from Europe and is in isolation but not hospitalized. County officials are working with counterparts at the state and national level to identify and evaluate close contacts, she added.
Monkeypox is a rare viral disease that is usually transmitted to people from wild animals and is endemic in some African countries. Monkeypox can be transmitted through bodily fluids, respiratory droplets and other contaminated materials. The disease usually results in fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes, with a case fatality rate ranging from 1-10%.
Cases have been reported in countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and numerous European states, with Spain and Portugal containing the highest number of cases.
Earlier in May, the CDC said they are tracking multiple clusters of the virus, most of which are within networks of men who have sex with other men.
While the CDC said on Monday they expect more cases of monkeypox to emerge in the United States, President Joe Biden emphasized that the outbreak will not require introducing any additional measures by the government.
