Rhode Island Sees First Case Of Monkeypox

RHODE ISLAND — Monkeypox seems to have made its way to the Ocean State, with the RI Department of Health reporting its first probable case Thursday.

A Providence County man in his 30s tested positive for orthopoxvirus, the genus to which the monkeypox virus belongs, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is testing him for monkeypox.

Health officials said the case could be related to travel to Massachusetts, where the first U.S. case of monkeypox in 2022 was confirmed May 18. The Rhode Island Department of Health is tracing the man's contacts to identify who else may have been exposed.

The CDC says monkeypox symptoms are similar to but milder than smallpox: fever, headache, muscle aches and exhaustion are common. Unlike smallpox, though, monkeypox causes swelling of the lymph nodes. One to three days after a fever appears, monkeypox patients develop a rash.

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. Individuals can also be infected through contact with infected people, their clothing or bedsheets.