Wyandotte County reporting first case of monkeypox

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Wyandotte County is investigating its first case of monkeypox Tuesday, according to the Unified Government Public Health Department.

The individual with monkeypox is reported to be isolating at home.

The Kansas Department of Environment has reached out to those that were in close contact with the person with monkeypox who may have been exposed.

Risk of community spread is low, according to the health department.

The Wyandotte County health department has monkeypox vaccines available for people who are at higher risk of being exposed to monkeypox.

The first cases of monkeypox in the current U.S. outbreak were reported in May 2022. The health department said as this current outbreak continues to evolve, public health agencies are continuing to monitor the spread and learn more about the situation.

Data updated Oct. 3, 2022, shows that there have been 21 cases reported in the state of Kansas and 26,049 cases in the United States.

Currently, monkeypox testing is only available in certain circumstances. An individual must have symptoms and be examined by a healthcare provider to see if they are eligible for testing. People who have symptoms such as a new or unexplained rash that they think might be monkeypox should contact their healthcare provider.

The strain of monkeypox in the current outbreak is rarely fatal, and most people have mild-to-moderate illness. However, serious illness or death from monkeypox can happen, according to the health department.