While Chicago health officials emphasize that the monkey pox risk remains “low,” the city’s health department announced it is advising the public to take precautions after five more cases were reported in the city.
In a press release Monday, CDPH confirmed that at least seven cases have been identified in Chicago, a significant increase from the two cases reported in the previous weeks. Health officials said seven cases involved individuals who had recently traveled to Europe, and the first two appeared to be related.
A Chicago resident was diagnosed with monkey pox after attending the International Mr. Leather Conference, which took place in the city from May 26-30, and other cases related to the event have been reported.
Health experts said monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that often begins with flu-like symptoms and swollen lymph nodes and progresses to a rash on the face and body. It was first observed in Africa in 1970 and is mostly found in the western and central parts of the continent.
The CDC is on alert after cases of the virus have been reported in several countries that normally do not report cases of monkeypox, including the United States.
In a press release, CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allsion Arwady said that while the risk is “low,” CDPH wants the public to make informed choices about congregating in places where monkeypox can spread through close contact.
Individuals attending festivals or other summer events should consider the possibility of close and personal skin-to-skin contact at the events they plan to attend, according to health officials. If someone feels sick or develops a rash or sores, CDPH recommends not attending meetings and seeing a health care provider as soon as possible.
In total, 33 countries have reported more than 1,450 confirmed cases, and in the United States, 49 cases have been reported in 16 states plus the District of Columbia. Most individuals had mild symptoms and none died.
“Normally in a normal year we would see a few cases, mostly in West Africa that are related to animals,” Arwady said earlier. “There are animals that can wear them and we’re going to see, you know, a few dozen cases that people can get just by coming into contact with the animals. And the reason for the increased interest is that right now somewhere in 100 cases that have been identified that are unrelated to the usual way we look at it, it has monkeypox.”
The virus is rarely fatal and symptoms range from fever, pain, and skin rashes all over the body.
CDPH said person-to-person transmission is possible through “close physical contact with monkeypox sores, moisture-contaminated items or sores (clothing, bedding, etc.), or through respiratory droplets after direct personal contact.”
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