Jefferson County has its first reported case of monkeypox.
The Jefferson County Health Department reported the case today, Sept. 27, after learning about the case on Monday, Sept. 26.
The Health Department won’t give any information about the patient, including gender, age or how the person was exposed, to protect the person’s confidentiality, said Brianne Zwiener, the department’s public information officer.
Zwiener said the general public is at low risk of contracting the virus, but the Health Department is looking into possible exposure risks to others.
“Across the state we have seen several cases of monkeypox, so we were prepared for the potential that Jefferson County would see a case as well,” said Jeana Vidacak, public health preparedness supervisor with the department. “Our clinicians have been trained on proper screening and testing procedures, and our communicable disease team has been preparing for case investigations and community education.”
Zwiener said monkeypox cases are rare.
She said close physical contact, like kissing or cuddling or prolonged face-to-face contact, is the main way for monkeypox to spread from person to person.
“If you have any concerns, talk to your healthcare provider,” she said. “For our general public, it's really just education so they know what to look for if and when they would potentially have a situation come up.”
This year’s first case of monkeypox in the U.S. was reported on May 18 after a person had traveled to Canada. The first case in Missouri was reported on June 18, and as of today, the state has seen 96 cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of today, a total of 25,162 confirmed cases and one death have been reported in the U.S. this year, and 65,933 cases had been reported worldwide, the CDC reported.
According to the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), monkeypox presents with flu-like symptoms and progresses to lesions, and the illness can be confused with a sexually transmitted infection.
Anyone who has a new or unexplained rash, sores or symptoms, or who has a confirmed exposure to monkeypox, should see a healthcare provider and avoid being intimate with anyone, the DHSS reported.
Zwiener said it’s always good to practice frequent hand-washing and will help limit the spread of viruses, including monkeypox.
The smallpox vaccine is about 85 percent effective in preventing monkeypox, but a newer vaccine to prevent monkeypox was developed in 2019, the WHO reported.
Those monkeypox vaccines are available through the Health Department. Anyone interested in receiving one may sign up at jeffcohealth.org/monkeypox.