Colorado Identifies First Likely Case Of Monkeypox In Denver-Area Man

DENVER, CO — Health officials have identified Colorado's first likely case of monkeypox.

Gov. Jared Polis made the announcement Thursday evening, saying the risk to the public was low. While the infection is serious, "it is not typically fatal for those with healthy immune systems," he said.

Polis' announcement comes after the state Department of Public Health and Environment said a presumptive case of monkeypox was identified in Colorado, according to reports. A Denver-area man became infected after recently traveling to Canada, where there has been an outbreak of the virus, the Colorado Sun reported. Health officials were identifying and isolating his close contacts.

The man sought medical treatment, resulting in the diagnosis, according to the Sun.

Monkeypox infections have been found in other states including Massachusetts, Florida, California, New York, Utah and Washington state.

Federal and state health officials are urging health care providers in the U.S. to be on the lookout for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox, especially if they have traveled to an area where monkeypox has been reported, or have had close contact with a person suspected of having monkeypox.

The CDC has warned of a potential increased risk of exposure for those who self-identify as men who have sex with men.

Monkeypox, usually contained to central and west Africa, is a rare, potentially serious viral illness that usually begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes before progressing to the rest of the body in a rash, or "pox." Infections can persist for up to four weeks.
There is no proven, safe treatment specifically for monkeypox, though limited evidence available indicates smallpox treatments may be useful. Most patients recover with no treatment.

Monkeypox isn't easily spread; it usually occurs through bites or scratches from rodents and small mammals, preparing wild game, or coming into contact with an infected animal. People can also be infected through contact with infected people, their clothing or bedsheets.

It enters the body the way infections normally do, through breaks in the skin — even microscopic cuts — and through the eyes, nose or mouth, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Animals can spread it to humans in multiple ways, including through bites and scratches, but also as their meat is being prepared for human consumption. Person-to-person transmission occurs "primarily through large respiratory droplets" that generally can't travel far, according to the CDC.

Monkeypox is primarily found in Central and West African countries, including in Nigeria, where about 450 cases have been reported since 2017, according to the CDC.

Monkeypox and smallpox symptoms are similar, and the same vaccine that eradicated smallpox around 1950 curbed monkeypox in humans, according to research published in 2005 documenting a re-emergence of monkeypox.