Dallas County confirms 14th monkeypox infection, including local spread
Dallas County now has 14 confirmed cases of monkeypox, including local transmissions, according to Dallas County Public Health. That includes people who were infected when the virus first reached Dallas County.
The county has not said how many people have recovered from their monkeypox infections.
The threat of monkeypox spreading throughout Dallas County remains low, according to a news release from DCPH. It is rare and does not spread easily to people without close, personal, skin-to-skin contact. It is often spread through sexual contact, but is not limited to that.
Tarrant County announced its first confirmed case of Monkeypox Monday.
Monkeypox can affect any person, no matter their age, race, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Monkeypox, classified as a rare disease by the CDC, is a variant of the same virus that causes smallpox. The CDC said it is currently keeping up with multiple cases of the virus from countries that don’t usually report infections, including the United States.
There have been more than 928 confirmed cases in the U.S., according to the CDC.
This infection presents symptoms including a rash, lesions, swollen lymph nodes, fever and scabbing, according to the CDC. Severity of the infection depends on the health of the person prior to exposure, the strain of the virus and the way in which they were infected. Incubation is typically seven to 14 days and the infection typically lasts two to three weeks. It can, in some cases, be fatal.
This story was originally published July 12, 2022 at 5:06 PM.