The first likely case of monkeypox has been discovered in Georgia, putting residents on high alert.
Media outlets initially reported that the Georgia Department of Public Health confirmed the case. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarified that the state is still conducting testing on the patient who tested positive for an orthopoxvirus. Monkeypox is not the only orthopoxvirus. Other diseases in this category include camelpox and cowpox. The agency is also working to determine where or how the patient may have come into contact with the virus. The patient is now quarantined at home.
Monkeypox is becoming more and more of a concern across the world. The first reported case in the United States was reported last month in Massachusetts.
Florida, Virginia, and New York have also reported cases.
Symptoms of the virus include a blister rash that can affect private parts, headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches. Monkeypox has been fatal in a small number of cases, especially in impoverished regions with a lack of healthcare. Antiviral medications and the smallpox vaccine have successfully eased symptoms of the disease, but there is no cure. Those who contract the virus usually experience symptoms for two to four weeks, with children at risk for the most severe reactions.
Health experts do not believe that monkeypox will spread as rapidly and severely as COVID-19 did but are still working on learning more about the virus.
