TOPEKA – After the first confirmed positive case of monkeypox was identified in Kansas over the weekend, doctors are confident the risk to the public will remain low.
On Saturday, health officials in Kansas and Johnson County announced — based on laboratory testing — the state’s first estimated case of monkeypox in a Johnson County man. The county health department is awaiting confirmation of the results from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The adult did not require hospitalization, and Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control for the University of Kansas Health System, says this is the case for most people infected.
“We know that some of these symptoms can be very serious, but there are treatment plans… that are being done now,” Hawkinson said. “We also know that Health and Human Services is preparing vaccination plans for people who may be at risk.”
The patient had traveled outside the state and has been isolated at home. KDHE is monitoring the person’s close contacts.
In the case of common monkeypox, a person’s symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle aches, chills, and tiredness, followed by a blister-like rash. It can occur on the hands, feet, chest, mouth and genitals.
Not all cases show symptoms before the rash, but the rate of transmission is much slower than that of the novel coronavirus. State Health Secretary Janet Stanek said the risk of spreading the virus to Kansas was low.
“If you are experiencing symptoms of monkeypox disease, it is important to stay home and contact your health care provider as soon as possible to prevent spreading the disease to others,” Stanek said.
The incubation period of monkeypox usually ranges from seven to 14 days, but can range from five to 21 days. Spread usually occurs by direct contact with the sores or by prolonged face-to-face contact.
It can also occur through contact with materials that touch the wound.
The monkeypox vaccine is available to people who have been exposed to a confirmed case, but due to a short supply of the vaccine, only those who have contact with KDHE or clinic partners can get the shot. KDHE plans to expand eligibility as stock increases.
“Monkeypox is a very rare disease in the United States,” said Johnson County Health Director Sanami Areola. “The virus has not shown the potential to spread rapidly to the general population. Based on currently available information, the risk to the public appears to be very low.”