Health officials report 1st presumptive case of monkeypox in Travis County

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas — Austin Public Well being is ready for the outcomes from the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention to substantiate a presumptive monkeypox case in Travis County. APH is working alongside the Texas Division of State Well being Companies on this ongoing investigation.

The Travis County resident was not hospitalized and is at the moment isolating at dwelling. APH is conducting contact tracing and reaching out to these the resident may need had shut contact with whereas infectious. The resident got here in shut contact with somebody who had traveled out of state and can be below investigation for a case of monkeypox.

“Whereas the specter of monkeypox stays low, we advocate that each one Travis County residents remember and search medical care should you imagine you could have signs of the virus,” stated Austin-Travis County Well being Authority Dr. Desmar Walkes. “Whereas our native well being care suppliers are working with epidemiologists to watch the virus, the group ought to proceed the hygiene practices we all know work equivalent to handwashing and minimizing skin-to-skin contact, particularly with these exhibiting rashes or sores.”

APH says monkeypox is uncommon and doesn’t unfold with out shut contact between individuals. The virus spreads between individuals via direct contact with infectious rashes and scabs.

It will also be unfold by touching objects equivalent to clothes and linen that had contact with infectious rash or physique fluids in addition to respiratory secretions throughout extended face-to-face or intimate contact.

Signs of monkey pox embody swollen lymph nodes, chills, a rash that goes via a number of levels earlier than therapeutic, exhaustion and muscle aches.

To keep away from the virus, APH recommends:

• Use PPE when caring for others with monkeypox
• Observe good hand hygiene
• Keep away from contact with supplies which have been in touch with the virus
• Reduce skin-to-skin contact with rashes and sores

The CDC is at the moment investigating 173 monkeypox instances in america, at the least 5 of which are in Texas. The primary case of the virus within the Lone Star State was confirmed in Dallas County earlier this month.