Orange County announces first presumptive case of monkeypox

Orange County officials reported the area's first presumptive case of monkeypox on Thursday.

While Orange County authorities await confirmation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, local officials are performing contact tracing in hopes of preventing more infections.

The person believed to have monkeypox is currently in isolation, the Orange County Health Care Agency said.

"We consider it serious, and it is an ongoing investigation as to the extent of it in our county," Orange County Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Chaffee said. "After that investigation, we'll let the public know how to combat it. When we have more information we'll let the public know."

According to officials, the person's primary care physician suspected the infection earlier this week and alerted the county's Communicable Disease Control unit.

Dr. Christopher Zimmerman of the county's communicable disease control division said in a statement said officials are "working with all relevant agencies and partners to track, control, and curtail the spread of monkeypox within the county."

To date, there have been 4,769 cases worldwide and 306 in the U.S.