Madison County resident confirmed to have monkeypox – WBBJ TV

JACKSON, Tenn. — The Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department says one case of monkeypox has been confirmed in the county.

The Department of Health says monkeypox is a rare disease that is in the same family of viruses that cause smallpox. The department says symptoms are similar between the two, but monkeypox is mild and rarely fatal.

The department says that symptoms usually begin to appear within three weeks of monkeypox, and the rash usually appears one to four days later.

The Department of Health says that the rash can occur on a person’s genitals, anus, hands, feet, chest, face or near the mouth.

“Monkeypox is spreading across the state and we expect to find a case in Madison County,” said regional director Kim Tedford. “We encourage people to be vigilant and protect themselves.”

Monkeypox can be transmitted by direct contact, such as through a rash, scab, or bodily fluids. It can also be caught through touching objects, surfaces touched by clothing, rashes, or bodily fluids such as bedding, clothing or towels.

And it can also be caught by respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face contact or intimate physical contact, the department says.

The department says those with monkeypox usually get better in two to four weeks. Antivirals may be recommended for people who are more likely to become ill with the virus.

If you think you have been exposed, you are asked to contact your health care provider.

The department says there are vaccines available to fight monkeypox. However, they are being given only to people who have had close contact with the virus, and who have had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks, especially men who have had sex with men.

You can find additional information about monkeypox from the Tennessee Department of Health here. You can also find information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention here.

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