NORFOLK, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced Friday a second presumed case of monkeypox in a person who lives in the state.
The man lives in Northern Virginia but was exposed out of state, the VDH said. He didn't have to be hospitalized and is isolating at his home. Health officials are working to identify and monitor the man's close contacts.
According to VDH, the man's test was done at a state laboratory, but confirmatory testing will be done at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Several countries, including the United States, are currently experiencing a monkeypox outbreak. Few hospitalizations and one death have been reported globally in this outbreak.
“Monkeypox is a rare disease in the United States and based on the information currently available about the evolving multi-country outbreak, the risk to the public appears to be low,” said state epidemiologist Lilian Peake in a news release. “VDH continues to monitor this disease and provide guidance to medical providers in Virginia to be on the lookout for possible monkeypox cases and report them to their local health districts. We encourage anyone who has symptoms and potential exposure described below to consult their healthcare provider.”
Monkeypox can be a serious viral illness, characterized by a specific type of rash. Rashes can begin on the genitals, perianal region, or oral cavity, which might be the first or only sign of illness. Some patients also have fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion and/or swelling of the lymph nodes before developing a rash.
These symptoms generally appear six to 14 days after exposure and, for most people, clear up within two to four weeks, VDH said. Treatment mainly involves supportive care and relief of symptoms.