3 Presumed Cases Of Monkeypox In Maryland, MDH Says

MARYLAND — The Maryland Department of Health has now identified three presumptive cases of monkeypox in the state.

State health officials did not disclose where they identified those new cases.

Last Thursday, state health officials confirmed the first presumed case of the virus in an adult living in Washington, D.C.'s Maryland suburbs.

"MDH is working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control in confirming these cases. All cases are recovering and in isolation at home. MDH urges all people who have symptoms to seek medical care," the department said in an email to Patch.

As of Thursday, Maryland is one of 23 states and Washington, D.C. with identified monkeypox cases, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

California has the highest case count of monkeypox in the country. Forty cases have been identified in the Golden State so far. New York takes the second-place spot with 22 cases. In third place is Illinois with 19 cases.

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• First Monkeypox Case Confirmed In Maryland

According to Maryland state health officials, human monkeypox is in the same family of viruses as smallpox but generally causes a milder infection. It can be spread between people through direct contact with skin lesions, body fluids or contaminated materials such as clothing or linens. It can also be spread through large respiratory droplets, which generally cannot travel more than a few feet, and prolonged face-to-face contact is required.

Health officials said resenting symptoms typically include fever, chills, new swelling of lymph nodes and a distinctive rash that often starts on the face and spreads to other parts of the body; however, the onset of rash lesions elsewhere in the absence of other symptoms has been reported.

Symptoms generally appear seven to 14 days after exposure and, for most people, clear up within two to four weeks. Individuals identified as having been potentially exposed to this case will be monitored for symptoms for 21 days after exposure, health officials said.

While the risk of human monkeypox transmission remains low, the Maryland Department of Health said it strongly encourages people to stay alert for any symptoms of the illness and to seek medical care immediately, especially if you meet this criteria:

• Those who traveled to central or west African countries, parts of Europe where monkeypox cases were reported, or other areas with confirmed cases of monkeypox the month before their symptoms began;
• Those who have had close contact with a person with confirmed or suspected monkeypox; or
• Those who have had close or intimate in-person contact with individuals in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity, which includes men who have sex with men.