A rare case of monkeypox has been reported in the United States, the first confirmed case of the year, in a Massachusetts man who recently travelled to Canada. Despite the fact that this is the first confirmed case of monkeypox in the United States, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is preparing for more cases.
Here are ten things you should know about monkeypox and the first case in the US in 2022.
1. The Massachusetts man went to Canada to visit friends at the end of April and returned in early May. He travelled in a private vehicle.
2. This is the first monkeypox case of the year. Texas and Maryland both reported cases of the disease in people who travelled to Nigeria last year.
3. Monkeypox cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, Portugal, and Spain recently. It’s still unclear whether the US case is linked to the European outbreak.
4. The Massachusetts man’s contact information is being tracked, but the CDC has not revealed where he went in Canada.
5. Monkeypox is thought to be fatal in one out of every ten cases, with severe disease and death being more likely in children.
6. Monkeypox is characterised by a flu-like illness and lymph node swelling, followed by a rash on the face and body.
7. Monkeypox cases are common in Africa, where people have been infected by rodent or small animal bites, and it does not spreads easily.
8. Most of the cases have been reported in gay or bisexual men in Europe, and officials are looking into the possibility that some infections were spread through close sex contact.
9. Monkeypox belongs to the same virus family as smallpox.
10. Smallpox vaccine is effective against monkeypox. Vaccination is also possible after exposure to the monkeypox virus, but it must be done within four days of exposure.
