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The
viral illness was found in a U.S. resident, who recently
traveled from Nigeria to the United States and is currently
hospitalized in Dallas.
"While rare, this case is not a reason for alarm and we do not
expect any threat to the general public," Dallas County Judge
Clay Jenkins said. (https://bit.ly/2Tf90H9)
Other than Nigeria, outbreaks have also been reported in central
and western African countries since 1970, with a large outbreak
in people in the United States in 2003, according to the CDC.
CDC said it was working with the airline, state and local health
officials to contact passengers and others who may have been in
contact with the patient. (https://bit.ly/3xLFVSX)
Monkeypox, which belongs to the same family of viruses as
smallpox, is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that
typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the
lymph nodes, gradually progressing to a widespread rash on the
face and body.
It can spread from person to person through respiratory
droplets. The CDC said since travelers were wearing masks due to
COVID-19, the risk of spread of monkeypox via respiratory
droplets to others on the planes and in the airports was low.
The patient was infected with the strain most commonly found in
parts of West Africa, including Nigeria, CDC added.
There have been at least six reported monkeypox cases in
travelers returning from Nigeria, prior to the current case,
including in the United Kingdom, Israel and Singapore, according
to the CDC. The latest case was not related to the previous
cases.
(Reporting by Trisha Roy in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak
Dasgupta)
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