CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - An inmate at the Cook County Jail has tested positive for monkeypox.
The Cook County Sheriff’s and county health department revealed the news Tuesday morning.
“Cook County Health and the Cook County Sheriff's Office took swift action to mitigate potential spread of the virus as soon as the case was identified. The individual was immediately isolated and, out of an abundance of caution, the living unit was quarantined and monitored with daily screenings. Contact tracing is underway,” wrote Cook County Health in a statement.
County health officials said the risk to the general jail population and staff remains low, given how the disease is transmitted. The Chicago Department of Public Health will visit the jail today, according to Cook County Health, assisting in testing and vaccinating eligible individuals.
“It is important to remember that the population in the jail is a microcosm of the community. As such, it is reasonable to expect cases to appear within the jail. The individual is believed to have contracted the virus in the community prior to being ordered into custody at the jail,” Cook County Health noted.
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