Texas reports first case of monkeypox, but officials say it poses little risk to the public
With the Texas case reported Tuesday, about 35 cases have now been identified across 14 states and Washington, D.C., this year, according to the CDC.
by Cecilia Lenzen June 7, 2022
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/06/07/monkeypox-texas-dallas-county/The case was identified in a Dallas County resident who recently traveled internationally, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The CDC issued the following recommendations to travelers to avoid contracting the disease: Avoid close contact, including sexual contact, with sick people; wash your hands often and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; avoid contact with dead or alive animals; avoid eating or preparing meat from wild game; and avoid contact with contaminated materials used by sick people.
Monkeypox is a viral zoonotic disease, meaning that it can spread from animals to humans and between humans, according to the World Health Organization. The disease is usually found in West and Central Africa, where the animals that may carry the virus typically live.
The disease is commonly transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal, according to WHO. It can also be transmitted from person to person by inhaling large respiratory droplets or through close contact with body fluids and lesions or bedding and other contaminated materials. One common way monkeypox can spread is through sexual contact. Many of the reported cases have been identified in men who have sex with men.
