First Case Of Monkeypox Reported In Central Florida

FLORIDA — Central Florida has reported its first reported case of monkeypox, state health officials said.

The rare disease was documented in Orange County, according to data updated Thursday by the Florida Department of Health.

The circumstances surrounding the latest case were not immediately available. However, it makes the 10th confirmed or probable case in the Sunshine State.

This year, eight cases have also been reported in Broward County and one case in Collier County.

Monkeypox is a rare disease wtih symptoms similar to smallpox, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The origin of the disease remains unknown. However, African rodents and non-human primates, such as monkeys, might harbor the virus and infect people, health officials said.

Prior to the 2022 outbreak, the CDC said nearly all monkeypox cases in people outside of Africa were linked to international travel to countries where the disease commonly occurs, or through imported animals, including several cases in the United States in 2021.