The Georgia Department of Public Health says the state has confirmed its first case of monkeypox in a female.
The health department said the woman had close person contact with a man that was previously diagnosed with the virus.
At this point, the vast majority of cases in the metro area are made up of men who have had sex with other men.
Over the weekend, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global emergency.
To date, the state of Georgia has reported more than 200 cases of the virus. Fulton County officials announced Monday that they will begin monitoring wastewater for both COVID-19 and monkeypox.
Monkeypox is a rare disease related to smallpox.
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The disease spreads through inhalation of respiratory droplets from an infected person or some contact with the lesions the virus causes. You can also get the virus by contact with bodily fluids or by having contact with such things as an infected person’s bed linen.
Symptoms include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
Within one to three days after having a fever, the patient develops a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body.
According to the CDC, “Currently, there is no proven, safe treatment for monkeypox virus infection. For controlling a potential outbreak, the smallpox vaccine is given.”
The U.S. government says it has enough smallpox vaccines stored in its Strategic National Stockpile to vaccinate the entire U.S. population, according to Reuters.
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