First monkeypox case confirmed in Travis County
TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - As an update to Austin Public Health’s (APH) initial announcement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) testing has confirmed Travis County’s first monkeypox case.
APH Epidemiologists have completed an investigation and are conducting contact tracing of people who had direct close contact with the resident while contagious.
The resident continues to isolate at home. APH is also investigating five presumptive cases who have symptoms that are consistent with monkeypox. Initial case investigations indicate these persons did not have a history of international travel.
How does the virus spread from person-to-person?
- Direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids.
- Respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex.
- Touching items (such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids.
- Pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.
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What are the symptoms of monkeypox?
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands/palms, feet, chest, genitals, or anus. The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks.
- The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks.
What can I do to prevent monkeypox?
- Minimize skin-to-skin contact, especially if a person has been exposed to the virus, showing a rash or skin sores.
- Avoid contact with any materials, such as bedding, that have been in contact with monkeypox.
- Practice good hand hygiene. For example, washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for people infected with monkeypox.
As of Thursday, the CDC is tracking at least 396 monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases in the U.S. At least 10 cases have been confirmed in Texas.
The state’s first monkeypox case this year confirmed earlier this month in Dallas County. That individual had recently traveled to Dallas from Mexico.
On Wednesday Dallas County Health and Human Services confirmed its second and third monkeypox cases this year, says APH. Those individuals recently traveled from Spain and Mexico.