The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have announced a patient in Maryland, USA, has a confirmed case of monkeypox, the rare infectious disease that before this year hadn’t been found in the USA since 2003. The patient had recently traveled from Nigeria and was discovered to be ill with the virus on Tuesday, after which they were promptly isolated while they recovered. Maryland officials state the individual only had mild symptoms and was not hospitalized.
“Public health authorities have identified and continue to follow up with those who may have been in contact with the diagnosed individual,“ said Maryland Department of Health Deputy Secretary for Public Health Dr. Jinlene Chan, in a statement.
“Our response in close coordination with CDC officials demonstrates the importance of maintaining a strong public health infrastructure.”
Currently, there are no extra precautions for the public in the area.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by the monkeypox virus, of the Orthopoxvirus genus. It was first identified in a group of research monkeys (hence the name) before the first human case was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since the first case, it has mainly infected people in central and western African countries but has caused isolated outbreaks in the USA, UK, and Israel. In 2003, 47 people were infected by the virus in the USA after a shipment of animals from Ghana brought it through the borders.
Current fatality estimates suggest monkeypox is anywhere from 0-11 percent fatal, depending on the type. Symptoms include fever, headaches, fatigue, and muscle weakness in the early stages of infection, before lesions, generally concentrated on the face and extremities, break out in a similar fashion to smallpox.
There is no current treatment against monkeypox, but the original smallpox vaccine was shown to be 85 percent effective in preventing it. Unfortunately, since smallpox was eradicated, the vaccine is no longer available.
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