MINEOLA, N.Y. (1010 WINS) -- The New York State Health Department confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Nassau County on Friday.
The confirmation coincided with the announcement of a plan to distribute 400 doses of the monkeypox vaccine in Nassau County.
Doses will be available at Nassau University Medical Center and the Northwell HIV Treatment Center.
The Nassau County infection is the fifth known case on Long Island, with the other four in Suffolk County.
There are 174 confirmed cases state-wide. The epicenter of the state’s outbreak is in New York City, where 160 cases have been confirmed.
Monkeypox belongs to the same virus family as smallpox, but its symptoms are milder. Most patients experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People usually recover within two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized, but the disease occasionally is deadly.
People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.
The World Health Organization on Thursday reported a 77% weekly increase in the number of lab-confirmed monkeypox cases, to more than 6,000 worldwide, and two more deaths in parts of Africa where the virus has circulated for years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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