First monkeypox case confirmed in Allegheny County
The first case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Allegheny County, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reported Wednesday.
A Fayette County resident who is a patient at Central Outreach Wellness Center in Pittsburgh’s North Shore was sent to West Penn Hospital Tuesday for monkeypox testing, said Alex Young, director of marketing for Central Outreach.
It is the first case confirmed outside of Philadelphia County, and brings the state total of confirmed monkeypox cases to eight.
The test came back positive, and news of the confirmed monkeypox case broke early Wednesday.
“The person is receiving treatment and their partner has received the vaccine,” Young said. “It was a smooth process. It’s really been a team effort with the local health communities.”
Young noted the smallpox treatment and vaccines come from the national pharmaceutical stockpile, which he said has worked to get monkeypox treatments to LGBTQ+-focused health-care centers, like Central Outreach. Monkeypox is more prevalent among the gay and trans populations.
In a media statement released Wednesday, Central Outreach said it is prepared to treat anyone with monkeypox, or who has come into contact with the virus.
“It can spread to anywhere. It’s not limited to a county,” said Young.
Monkeypox first appeared in the U.S. in January, according to the World Health Organization. But the majority of cases have been confirmed more recently, with an increase of reports since May.
Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control activiated its Emergency Operations Center, where more than 300 staff are monitoring monkeypox nationally and coordinating an emergency response to outbreaks.
No deaths have yet been linked to monkeypox in the U.S. As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, there were a total of 351 confirmed monkeypox cases in the U.S., according to the CDC.
“People should not panic when they hear about a confirmed case of monkeypox,” Mark O’Neill, press secretary for the state Department of Health, wrote in an email. “The monkeypox virus has been identified in humans in the United States since 2003 and the likelihood of an individual contracting the virus is small, as monkeypox is not easily transmitted from person to person.”
Monkeypox is a rare disease that comes from the same family of viruses as smallpox. The two viruses share symptoms, but monkeypox symptoms are milder.
According to the CDC, monkeypox symptoms include head, muscle and back aches; fever; swollen lymph nodes; chills and exhaustion. A rash resembling a cluster of pimples or blisters may appear on one’s hands and feet, on the face, inside the mouth or on other body parts, including genitals.
Monkeypox is spread through direct contact, and can be transferred through contact with an infected item, like clothing. In some instances, the virus may be transmitted from sick animals to humans.
To avoid getting sick with monkeypox, the CDC recommends avoiding skin-to-skin contact with a person infected with the virus. The CDC suggests not sharing eating utensils or cups with an infected person, and washing your hands with soap and water after contact with someone who is sick.
For more on monkeypox, visit https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html.