Health officials are investigating a possible case of monkeypox in New York City, according to the city’s Health Department.
The patient is being treated at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, according to health officials.
The Department of Health’s Public Health Laboratory will perform preliminary tests to determine if the patient has monkeypox.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with a virus related to those that cause smallpox and cowpox. It was first discovered in 1958, when outbreaks occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research, giving rise to its name.
The first human case was reported in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which still has the majority of infections. Other African countries where it has been found: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone.
Monkeypox, which presents as a flu-like illness with swollen lymph nodes and a rash on the face and body, is rare in the US.
Human symptoms of monkeypox are similar to but milder than smallpox symptoms, the CDC says. Monkeypox begins with a fever, headache, muscle aches, and exhaustion. Monkeypox also causes the lymph nodes to swell, something that smallpox does not. The incubation period is usually 7 to 14 days, but can range from 5 to 21 days.
Cases reported outside of Africa have generally been linked to international travel or animals that have been imported.
According to the CDC, monkeypox in the US is very rare, as it does not occur naturally in the country. However, the CDC notes that there have been cases in the US associated with international travel or the importation of animals from areas where the disease is more common.
The CDC is urging healthcare providers in the US to be vigilant for patients who have skin rashes consistent with monkeypox, regardless of whether they have traveled or are at specific risk of contracting it.
However, health officials say the risk to the general population remains low.
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