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DeKALB – DeKalb County has confirmed its first identified case of monkeypox in a DeKalb County resident, according to an announcement Thursday from the DeKalb County Health Department.
The statement, released about 3:45 p.m., said the resident is isolating, receiving necessary care and recovering. Any potential close contacts to the ill person have also been notified, health officials said.
“The risk to DeKalb County residents remains very low,” health officials said.
To prevent monkeypox infection, health officials are reminding people to wash their hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds and avoid skin-to-skin contact with someone diagnosed with monkeypox. It’s also advised to not share bedding, clothes, towels or personal items with someone who has monkeypox.
Monkeypox is not known to easily spread from person to person. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16,926 cases of the disease have been confirmed in the U.S. this year – 999 are linked to cases in Illinois.
Earlier this month, Gov. JB Pritzker declared a public health emergency because of rising cases of the monkeypox virus in the state, and called for the Illinois Department of Public Health to coordinate a statewide response to combat further spread.
Officials said “the majority of cases seen throughout Illinois and the United States have been spread through direct intimate contact with a rash or sore on someone infected with MPV [monkeypox],” according to a DeKalb County Health Department news release. Kissing, sex and other activities with skin-to-skin contact with someone who has monkeypox can spread the virus.
According to officials, monkeypox also can be spread from the onset of symptoms until all sores have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed over them. The virus can take two to four weeks to run its course.
The county health department is asking people to call their health care provider if they have new or unexplained rashes, sores or other monkeypox symptoms.