The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Douglas County. The County Health Department says the infected person was tested through KDHE’s Laboratory. The infected person and their close contacts have been treated with a vaccine shown to be effective against monkeypox.
The Health Department says the vaccine is limited in supply and it’s important for residents to be aware of monkeypox symptoms and take steps to avoid exposure. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion, followed by the appearance of a rash that can look like pimples or blisters.
Monkeypox spreads primarily through direct contact with infectious lesions, scabs and bodily fluids. The virus can also spread through direct contact with materials that have touched bodily fluids or lesions, such as clothing or linens.
Douglas County’s case is the third in the State of Kansas. Shawnee and Johnson Counties have each reported one case of the disease.
