St. Mary's County sees first case of monkeypox, health officials say
BALTIMORE -- Health officials tracking the spread of monkeypox say they have documented the first case of the virus in St Mary's County, Maryland.
The St. Mary's County Health Department has been notified that a St. Mary's County resident had become infected with the human monkeypox virus, health officials said on Monday.
That person has isolated themselves from other people while they recover from the virus, health officials said.
The risk of transmission to the St Mary's County community is believed to be low, according to health officials.
Monkeypox spreads between people through direct contact with skin lesions or contaminated materials such as clothing or linens.
Health officials caution that the virus can spread through close face-to-face contact too.
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, chills, new swelling of lymph nodes, and a distinctive rash with skin lesions that may appear in different parts of the body, health officials said.
During the current outbreak, there have been reports of skin lesions only in one area of the body and an absence of other symptoms.
People should seek a health care evaluation if they find new lesions on their skin or if they have been in contact with someone who has a monkeypox infection, health officials said.
Some people are at a higher risk for exposure under the current conditions of the global monkeypox outbreak of 2022, according to health officials.
Those people at higher risk may have recently:
Had contact with someone who had a rash that looks like monkeypox or with someone who was diagnosed with confirmed or probable monkeypox
Had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network currently experiencing multiple cases of monkeypox infection; this includes men who have sex with men who meet partners through an online website, digital application ("app"), or social event (e.g., a bar or party)
Traveled outside the US to a country with confirmed cases of monkeypox or where monkeypox activity has been ongoing
Had contact with a dead or live wild animal or exotic pet that exists only in Africa or used a product derived from such animals (e.g., game meat, creams, lotions, powders, etc.)