Massachusetts health officials said Wednesday they confirmed the first case of monkeypox in the United States for 2022.
An adult man who recently traveled to Canada has been diagnosed with the rare viral infection and is hospitalized in isolation but in “good condition,” the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said. The case does not pose a risk to the general public.
MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK IN US: WHAT TO KNOW
The flu-like illness, which typically lasts two to four weeks, is most common in parts of central and western Africa, where people can be exposed through bites or scratches from rodents and small mammals. Those with the illness typically develop a rash on their face and body.
Since the beginning of May, cases have been identified in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal. So far, nine cases have been confirmed in the U.K.
Two cases of monkeypox, one in Maryland and one in Texas, were detected in the U.S. in 2021. Both people had recently traveled to Nigeria.
Though the virus is not easily passed from person to person, it can be spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, lesions, and items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores, such as bedding or clothing.
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The Department of Public Health is working to identify anyone who may have been in contact with the man.
