LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Two more Clark County residents are believed to be infected with monkeypox, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.
The two new, unrelated cases are under investigation. The cases were reported in a man in his 50s and a man in his 30s, health officials said. One of the men is said to be isolating at home, while the other is hospitalized.
Investigations are ongoing in two additional cases previously reported to the health district, bringing the total to four confirmed or probable cases in the health district's jurisdiction.
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As of Wednesday, there are 560 total reported cases of monkeypox in the United States. Other parts of the world have seen outbreaks of the disease, prompting the Biden administration to order doses of vaccine for high-risk people.
SNHD has ordered a small number of monkeypox vaccines known by the brand name Jynneos, officials said. They are to be given to high-risk populations, including lab personnel, and those with confirmed cases of the disease and their close contacts. The vaccine is said to be effective at preventing the disease up to four days after exposure and may reduce the severity of symptoms up to 14 days after exposure, health officials said.
Epidemiologists say monkeypox spreads from person to person through close physical contact with infectious monkeypox sores and bodily fluids or through contact with objects or fabric that have been used by someone who has the disease. It can also spread through sexual contact and prolonged face-to-face contact, officials said.
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The disease is rare, officials said. Beginning symptoms of monkeypox are said to include:
- fever
- headache
- muscle aches
- exhaustion
- swollen lymph nodes
- rash — often beginning on the face, then spreading to other parts of the body, including genitalia
The incubation period is typically between seven to 14 days but can range from five to 21 days. Illness from monkeypox typically lasts between two to four weeks, and is mild in most people.
Further, health officials in Southern Nevada said the overall risk of monkeypox in the U.S. is low. They advised people with "unknown rashes or lesions" to contact a health care provider and avoid sex until you've seen a doctor.
Those at risk of contracting the disease include people who have recently traveled internationally, who've had close contact with someone with monkeypox.
