First Case of Monkeypox Reported in Philadelphia

On Thursday, Monkeypox was confirmed in a Philadelphia resident, making it the first case in the state.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ten states have already confirmed cases of the disease, which is spread through person-to-person contact.

Initial symptoms of Monkeypox include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion

Infected individuals often develop a rash starting on the face and then spreading to other parts of the body within one to three days of acquiring a fever. It usually takes two to four weeks for the infection to subside.

“In humans, the symptoms of Monkeypox are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox. Monkeypox begins with fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion,” the CDC says. “The main difference between symptoms of smallpox and monkeypox is that monkeypox causes lymph nodes to swell (lymphadenopathy) while smallpox does not.”

According to the CDC, the disease has been spreading in an unusual pattern worldwide, prompting the agency to increase the monitoring of its spread.

“CDC is closely tracking cases of monkeypox that have been recently reported in several countries that don’t normally have monkeypox activity, including the United States,” the agency said.

“The threat to Philadelphians from monkeypox is extremely low,” Philadelphia Health Department Acute Communicable Disease Program Manager Dana Perella said in a statement. “Monkeypox is much less contagious than COVID-19 and is containable, particularly when prompt care is sought for symptoms. A vaccine to prevent or lessen the severity of illness is available through the CDC for high-risk contacts of persons infected with Monkeypox, as is an antiviral treatment for patients with Monkeypox. I believe that residents and visitors should feel safe to do all the fun things Philadelphia has to offer, with the proper precautions.”

The city said in a statement that “The Health Department strongly recommends that anyone who is experiencing symptoms of an unexplained rash on their face, palms, arms, legs, genitals, or the perianal region that may be accompanied by flu-like illness should contact their regular healthcare provider as soon as possible.”