First probable case of monkeypox found in Pierce County
The first probable case of monkeypox has been found in Pierce County, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced Saturday afternoon.
The infected person, a man in his 30s, tested positive for the Orthopoxvirus on Saturday, the TPCHD said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will confirm the diagnosis.
The man was never hospitalized and is recovering at home, the TPCHD said.
“We are working with him and his healthcare providers to identify anyone who may have come into close contact with him while he was infectious,” the agency said in a statement. “He is isolating and does not pose a risk to others.”
What is monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare viral disease that has recently broken out in the U.S. The virus spreads during close, physical contact with infected people.
The virus causes an outbreak of rashes and skin sores.
At first, cases in the state were tied to travel.
Now, the virus appears to be spreading locally, Public Health Seattle-King County announced this week.
The Pierce County case does not appear connected to travel, the TPCHD said.
A person can be infectious until their sores heal. That can take several weeks, the TPCHD said.
Symptoms
Monkeypox can cause a rash that looks like bumps, blisters or ulcers. Before the rash, some people have flu-like symptoms including fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion.
The monkeypox virus is similar to smallpox. Antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to protect against smallpox can be used to treat and prevent monkeypox.
The state department of Health and Human Services had developed a new vaccine strategy to slow the spread of the virus in at-risk communities.
“We are working with Washington State Department of Health to coordinate those efforts in Pierce County,” TPCHD said.
Who is getting it?
Men who have sex with men may be at higher risk, the TPCHD said. The virus is spreading at a faster rate in that group.
Most people recover within a month. However, the disease can be serious for children, the immune compromised and pregnant women.
