MARION COUNTY, Ind. — Two probable cases of the monkeypox virus have been detected in Marion County, according to a press release from the Marion County Public Health Department.
Monkeypox is a rare diseased caused by person-to-person infection, but the risk of transmission in the United States is low, say health experts.
“Even though the risk of transmission is very low here, we all need to be aware of the facts about this virus, including risk factors and how it’s spread,” said Virginia A. Caine, M.D., director and chief medical officer of the Marion County Public Health Department. “We are still learning more about monkeypox and encourage anyone with concerns about their health to contact a primary care physician or healthcare provider.”
These are the list of symptoms, as detailed in the release from the county health department:
• Direct contact with monkeypox rash, sores, or scabs from a person with monkeypox. This is believed to be the most common way that virus is spreading in the U.S.
• Contact with objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
• Contact with respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex.
• During pregnancy, the virus can spread to a fetus through the placenta.
You’re considered contagious until the pimply scabs left over from the virus fall off.
