MILWAUKEE — The first confirmed case of monkeypox has been discovered in Wisconsin, though state health officials say the risk to the public remains "low."
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said in a statementFriday that the patient is a resident of Dane County. They are isolated from the public.
As of June 30, 396 confirmed monkeypox cases have been reported in the U.S.
Wisconsin health officials are holding a press conference about the confirmed case:
The DHS describes monkeypox as a "rare but potentially serious" disease brought on by the monkeypox virus. Symptoms include new and unexplained rash and skin lesions, as well as fever, chills and swollen lymph nodes. Recent confirmed cases have also developed skin lesions in the genital, groin, and anal regions "that might be confused with rashes caused by common diseases such as herpes and syphilis."
People who contract the virus typically recover in 2-4 weeks without treatment. But if needed, antiviral medications can be used to treat as well as prevent monkeypox.
The monkeypox virus spreads through "respiratory droplets, sustained skin-to-skin contact, and contact with items that have been contaminated with the fluids or sores of a person with monkeypox," according to the DHS.
