DuPage County announced its first probable case of monkeypox on Saturday as small clusters of cases continue to grow in “countries that don’t normally have monkeypox,“ according to a DuPage County Health Department release.
The case is in an adult male who recently traveled in the past month to a country which has also reported monkeypox cases recently, the statement said. No further information about the patient was released.
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“The case remains isolated and at this time there is no indication there is a great risk of extensive local spread of the virus, as monkeypox does not spread as easily as the COVID-19 virus,” the statement said.
The county and state health departments are working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify people who may have been in contact with the infected person. Initial testing was conducted at an Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory.
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As of Friday, there have been 49 confirmed cases across 16 states, including Illinois, according to the CDC.
Monkeypox is a rare viral illness that typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes before progressing to a rash on the face and body. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks.
It can be spread from person to person through close physical contact with monkeypox sores; items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores, such as clothing or bedding; or through respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact, according to the state and city health departments.
