Virginia has the first possible case of monkeypox in the state.
In a statement Thursday, the Virginia Department of Health said the initial testing was conducted at its state laboratory, but the agency is awaiting official confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The patient is a woman from Northern Virginia who recently traveled to a country in Africa. Officials said she was isolated at home, did not need to be hospitalized and “does not pose a risk to society”.
Cases were found in California, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia and Washington, according to a CDC briefing on Thursday. There are a total of nine cases that have been identified across the country.
The first U.S. resident to have a confirmed case of monkeypox this year was a Boston man who recently traveled to Canada. The case was filed on May 18.
“Transmission requires close contact with a person with symptomatic monkeypox, and the virus has not shown its ability to spread rapidly to the general population,” said Dr. Colin Green, state health commissioner. “VDH monitors national and international trends and notifies Virginia healthcare providers to monitor monkeypox cases and report them to the local health district as soon as possible.”
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Earlier this week, President Joe Biden called monkeypox “something everyone should be concerned about,” especially if the virus continues to spread.
Unlike coronavirus, monkeypox is contagious only when the infected person is symptomatic and not easily transmitted from person to person, said Julia Murphy, VDH’s state veterinarian.
In an interview Thursday, Murphy assured Virginia residents that there was no evidence that monkeypox had “pandemic potential” and said the state was ready to tackle the disease.
Vaccines are already available against monkeypox, a disease that has existed for more than 50 years and is considered extremely rare – especially in the United States
The first smallpox epidemic across the country was in 2003 and was concentrated mainly in the Midwest among people who had been in contact with sick prairie dogs.
Viral disease is transmitted when people have prolonged contact with body fluids or contaminated materials such as clothing or sheets.
Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches and swollen lymph nodes. But one of the most distinctive features is the presence of a specific rash with prominent red spots that start on a person’s face before spreading to the rest of the body and growing into pus-filled blisters.
VDH estimates that the disease lasts two to four weeks, with symptoms appearing seven to 14 days after exposure.
The state agency recommends that medical attention be sought if residents have traveled to parts of Europe, Central or West African countries where cases of monkeypox have been reported; if they have had contact with someone who has a confirmed or suspected case of monkeypox; and if there are men who have sex with men, as many, but not all, identified cases have been among this group.
However, Murphy stressed that this is not the only group of people who can be infected.
“It would be a disservice to simply attribute infections to this group of people because we find disease in people who are not part of this group,” Murphy continued. “[We’re] at the beginning of this international investigation at this time and we may very well learn much more in the coming days. “
Further guidance on what monkeypox transmission looks like in different communities and who may be at higher risk is expected to be available in the coming days, Murphy said.
Last Saturday, the World Health Organization said in a statement that the spread of confirmed and suspected cases of smallpox without direct links to travel to places where the virus is endemic – such as Central and West Africa – was an “atypical” and “highly unusual” event. “
Endemic means “permanently present but limited to a specific region,” according to Columbia University’s School of Public Health.
“There is therefore an urgent need to raise awareness about monkeypox and to undertake comprehensive case detection and isolation. [provided with supportive care]tracking contacts and supportive care to limit further transmission, “wrote WHO officials.
Murphy said VDH is working with a number of internal teams, such as emergency preparedness, pharmaceutical and immunization staff, to provide any necessary support to respond. The agency also organizes webinars and contacts with healthcare providers to inform them of symptoms to look out for.
As of Thursday night, VDH has not detected any additional cases of monkeypox after conducting contact tracking.
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The Richmond Times-Dispatch presents this year’s winners of the best jobs at Atlas 42 in Glen Allen, Virginia, on Thursday, May 26, 2022.
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Richmond Times-Dispatch executive editor Chris Coates spoke at the presentation of this year’s winners of the best jobs at Atlas 42 in Glen Allen, Virginia, on Thursday, May 26, 2022.
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Richmond Times-Dispatch vice president of sales Kelly Till, left, presents this year’s top jobs in the big category to Down Bradley, senior vice president and regional manager at Long & Foster, at Atlas 42 in Glen Allen, Virginia, Thursday, 26 May 2022
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