First Probable Case Of Monkeypox Reported In Lake Co.

LAKE COUNTY, IL — A probable case of monkeypox has been reported in Lake County, public health officials said Wednesday.

The Lake County Health Department is investigating the "single case of probable monkeypox infection" and testing was completed on Monday at an Illinois Department of Public Health laboratory. Health officials are currently waiting for confirmatory results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a news release from the Lake County Health Department.

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Health officials say the case is the only probable monkeypox case in Lake County at this time.

Monkeypox does not spread easily between people, and the risk to Lake County residents remains low. Monkeypox is a rare viral illness and most infections of monkeypox last two to four weeks and resolve on their own.

However, some cases can become severe.

“Individuals should be aware of how the virus spreads and the signs and symptoms of monkeypox in order to seek medical attention if they develop,” said Sana Ahmed, Medical Epidemiologist at the Lake County Health Department. “While infection typically begins with flu-like symptoms, some individuals may get a rash first followed by other symptoms. Others will only experience a rash.”

Symptoms of monkeypox can include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches and backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion
• A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus

Monkeypox does not spread easily between people without close contact. Person-to-person transmission is possible through close physical contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores, items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores, including clothing or bedding, or through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact.

Health officials urge anyone who has a rash that looks like monkeypox to contact their healthcare provider. Health officials say you can learn more about monkeypox on the health department's website.

In early June, IDPH announced that a Chicago man was determined to have the first probable case of monkeypox in Illinois. A second probable case of monkeypox was detected in Chicago shortly after. On June 13, a probable case was also reported in DuPage County.

According to the CDC, there have been 46 cases of monkeypox in Illinois.