The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a case of monkeypox in Maryland.
On Tuesday, the CDC confirmed that a person who returned home after visiting Nigeria was diagnosed with monkeypox. KTLA reports CDC officials are contacting all entities who may have come in contact with the patient. While everyone is currently wearing masks to curve the spread of COVID-19, the CDC says monkeypox can be spread through respiratory droplets.
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) said the patient and anyone who was in contact with them would be monitored for 21 days. The patient has been isolated while in recovery. “Our response in close coordination with CDC officials demonstrates the importance of maintaining a strong public health infrastructure,” MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health Jinlene Chan said in a statement.
The patient is experiencing mild symptoms. However, the CDC warns that the disease is “rare but potentially serious.” The illness may begin with symptoms similar to the flu. A person’s lymph nodes may swell and rash can eventually start to spread across the face and body.
