Maryland's 1st Monkeypox Case Confirmed In DC Surburbs

MARYLAND — A person who lives in Washington, D.C.'s Maryland suburbs has tested positive for monkeypox, the first case of monkeypox reported in the state, the Maryland Department of Health said Thursday.

Current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data indicates cases have been identified in at least 20 states, including Maryland.

The initial testing of the person was conducted at the State Public Health Laboratory. MDH is awaiting confirmatory testing to be conducted at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The person is recovering in isolation and is not hospitalized. State health officials did not provide any other information about the person or whether they had recently traveled to Africa.

“Although human monkeypox is a rare infection in the United States, this Maryland case and other cases in the region and country remind us that we need to be prepared and take steps to prevent infection and its spread,” MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health Jinlene Chan said in a statement Thursday.

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.

The World Health Organization is in the process of establishing a new name for the virus.

Last month, a Virginia woman who recently traveled to Africa was the first person in that state to test positive for monkeypox. The woman was not infectious during travel, and she did not require hospitalization, state health officials said.

Monkeypox 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. Symptoms generally appear seven to 14 days after exposure and, for most people, clear up within two to four weeks.

People identified as having been potentially exposed to this case will be monitored for symptoms for 21 days after exposure.

MD is urging the public 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.
• 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.

Visit MDH's website for more information and resources about human monkeypox.