Onondaga County health officials Wednesday confirmed the first case of monkeypox in a county resident.
In a statement, officials said they were alerted to the positive test on Tuesday. The infected person has been in isolation and officials say there is no risk to the public. The infected person's recent contacts have all been notified. During a news conference Wednesday, health officials said the person with monkeypox is recovering well at home, and did not need hospitalization.
Monkeypox spreads through very close contact with an infected person. People infected with the virus may not begin to see symptoms for up to 17 days after infection. According to the Onondaga County Health Department, "a rash will develop that can be located on or near the genitals or other areas of the body such as hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth. Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms before the rash. Some people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash. The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters, may be painful or itchy, and is often confused with chickenpox. The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing."
Other symptoms of monkeypox include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle aches and backache, headache and respiratory symptoms.
The county announced the first positive case of monkeypox on the same day it held its first monkeypox vaccination clinic. The county was given 600 doses, enough for a first and second dose for 300 people. Reservations for the slots filled up in minutes earlier this week. County Executive Ryan McMahon said more clinics will be scheduled as more vaccine is available.
New York had confirmed 2,132 cases as of Wednesday, with 1,989 of those cases in New York City.
