A Douglas County resident has tested positive for orthopoxvirus, otherwise known as monkeypox. This is the first case reported in the state. The patient is a male in his 30’s with recent international travel. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is working with Douglas County and the CDC to investigate potential exposures and will notify those individuals.
“As monkeypox infections are increasingly identified throughout the US and the world, it’s critical we continue searching for it here in Nebraska,” said Dr. Matthew Donahue, Nebraska State Epidemiologist. “Monkeypox is spread through close contact with someone who has a characteristic rash. Nebraskans should be aware of the rash’s appearance, and we need individuals with that characteristic rash to talk to their healthcare providers so we can help arrange testing.”
While monkeypox is not a traditional sexually transmitted infection, it can be transmitted through prolonged physical contact, such as through sexual intimacy. Currently, the outbreak is disproportionately affecting gay and bisexual men who are sexually active. However, anyone with prolonged physical contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk of developing the illness.
Symptoms include:
A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the genitals, anus, face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, or chest.
The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. This process can take several weeks
Headache
Muscle aches or backache
Swollen lymph nodes
Chills
Exhaustion
Fever
Sometimes, people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.
Prevention
Several measures can be taken to prevent infection:
Avoid close contact with the skin of someone with the characteristic rash
Avoid contact with animals that could harbor the virus (including animals that are sick or that have been found dead in areas where monkeypox occurs).
Avoid contact with any materials, such as bedding, that has been in contact with a sick animal.
Isolate infected patients from others who could be at risk for infection.
Practice good hand hygiene after contact with infected animals or humans. For example, washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Use personal protective equipment (PPE) when caring for a patient
DHHS strongly recommends that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of an unexplained rash on their face, palms, arms, legs, genitals, or perianal region that may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms to contact their healthcare provider.
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