Minnesota's first case of monkeypox has been detected in an adult living in the Twin Cities metro, and health officials are saying the risk of passing the infection to the general public is still considered low.
Testing was completed Saturday and confirmatory testing is taking place at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta.
Minnesota Department of Health officials said on Monday that the individual had recently traveled to Europe, where monkeypox cases are spreading rapidly.
"The patient's healthcare provider contacted MDH and a sample was sent to the MDH public health laboratory for processing on June 24," said State Epidemiologist Dr. Ruth Lynfield. "The case was identified as having orthopoxvirus on Saturday evening."
There have been just over 200 monkeypox cases reported in the United States in 2022.
The Minnesota Department of Health is conducting contact tracing to find out if anyone had close contact with the patient.
Officials say the virus that causes monkeypox is not easily spread through casual contact.
“While the threat of monkeypox generally remains low, it’s important that everyone be aware of this disease, so that those at risk can seek medical care and get tested promptly if they believe they have symptoms,” said Minnesota Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm.
The need for vaccine or antivirals is being evaluated on a case-by-case basis, in consultation with CDC officials.
The CDC does not recommend broader use of the vaccine at this time; however, their evaluation of vaccine guidance is ongoing.
Symptoms of monkeypox can include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that can look like pimples or blisters.
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In this outbreak, some individuals have had a rash only and no other symptoms, and sometimes the rash consists of only a few sores.
"We want to reiterate that anyone can get monkeypox," Malcolm said. "It's spread from close, sustained contact. It's not as contagious as the flu, or COVID-19."
The rash can occur in the mouth, and there may be sores in the genital and anal areas. In other cases, a rash may be on the face and on other parts of the body.
The illness typically lasts two to four weeks and most people get better on their own without treatment.
However, sometimes monkeypox can cause scars from the sores, lead to pneumonia, and in rare cases even be fatal.
People who have monkeypox can spread the virus from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.
To prevent the spread of monkeypox:
*Practice good hand hygiene. For example, washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
*Minimize skin-to-skin contact with individuals who have been exposed to the virus or to those showing a rash or skin sores.
*Avoid contact with any materials, such as bedding, that has been in direct contact with someone with monkeypox.
*Reach out to a health care provider if you develop symptoms, as early recognition and testing can help prevent further transmission.