Texans Worried After Infected Woman Brings Monkeypox Into Texas

The first case of Monkeypox has officially been confirmed by the Texas Department of State Health Services on June 7th.

The tweet reads, "DSHS confirms first monkeypox case in Texas for 2022. The single case is a Dallas County resident who recently traveled internationally."

HOW THE ILLNESS WAS BROUGHT INTO TEXAS

According to a press release, "Dallas County reported the infected person took a flight from Mexico to Dallas. CDC is working with the airline, state, and local officials to contact airline passengers who may have been in contact."

Health officials are still reaching out to passengers who were aboard the same flight who could potentially have also been exposed. They are giving those passengers instructions on how to monitor themselves for symptoms.

THE PUBLIC RISK

According to the CDC, "the illness does not currently present a risk to the general public" To keep yourself informed there are a few ways Monkeypox can be transmitted including the following: after a lengthy close contact with an infected person or animal; the virus can also spread through large respiratory droplets or contact with bodily fluids.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MONKEYPOX

 Those infected may experience the following:

• Fever
• Headache
• Rash
• Lesions
• Swollen lymph nodes
• As well as more serious complications

CURRENT PREVENTION

You should avoid contact with people who have a new or unknown rash, lesions, or scabs, as they can spread the virus through contact. If infected, the illness typically lasts between 2-4 weeks.

Currently, there is no specific treatment approved for monkeypox virus infections. However, the CDC admits antivirals developed for use in patients with smallpox may prove beneficial.