SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – The first suspected case of monkeypox in California is being investigated in Sacramento County, according to a release issued by health officials on Tuesday.
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The county resident had recently traveled abroad, and was tested by the California Department of Public Health, Sacramento County Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over the weekend.
The results came back with a preliminarily positive for an orthopox virus, and confirmation for monkeypox is pending CDC testing.
In the meantime, the patient is isolating, and local and state health officials are currently conducting contact tracing and "post-exposure prevention for close contacts," said the release, but the overall risk of the virus spreading through the general population is low.
The CDC and California health officials are warning healthcare providers to be alert for patients who have rashes consistent with monkeypox.
Particularly with those who have recently traveled to areas where the virus has popped up.
"Because the disease is rare, health care providers may not be familiar with the presentation of monkeypox and the possibility of monkeypox transmission during intimate or sexual contact may not be well known," said California State Epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan in Tuesday's release. "As such, CDPH is promoting awareness amongst healthcare providers and the public, including appropriate infection control for monkeypox cases in the healthcare setting."
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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