DETROIT (WWJ) -- Monkeypox is officially in Detroit.
On Thursday, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services identified the first probable case of the infectious disease in a person from Detroit.
Lynn Sutfin at MDHHS says it's not clear whether this case is linked to the state's first confirmed case, which was identified last week in Oakland County.
Both cases remain under investigation as health officials try to identify close contacts of the people who might have been exposed.
Michigan is one of 34 U.S. states with known cases of the virus.
After spreading in Europe, the U.S. detected the first case of monkeypox in May. There have been roughly 350 confirmed cases across the country.
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Worldwide, there have been more than 5,500 confirmed cases of monkeypox and only one death related to the disease.
Calandra Green with the Oakland County Health Department tells WWJ Newsradio 950 that symptoms include fever, headache, muscle pains, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. But Green says "most importantly a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, the inside of the mouth, other parts of the body, like the hands, the feet, the chest and the genital area."
Officials say monkeypox is in the same family as smallpox, but is not related to chickenpox.
"The virus can spread from person to person through direct contact with infectious rash, scabs or bodily fluids, respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face contact or during intimate, physical contact, such as kissing, hugging, cuddling, massage or sex," Green said.
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Health officials say the smallpox vaccine is effective against monkeypox.
Federal health officials on Tuesday expanded the pool of people who are being advised to get vaccinated against monkeypox to include those who may realize on their own that they could have been infected. That includes men who have recently had sex with men at parties or in other gatherings in cities where monkeypox cases have been identified, according to a report from WDIV.
More information on monkeypox can be found on the CDC website or with the MDHHS.
