LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — An additional probable case of monkeypox was reported Friday by the Southern Nevada Health District.
It brings the county's total to four probable cases and one confirmed case. Two probable cases were reported earlier this week. "None of these cases are associated with each other," officials said.
Health officials say the latest probable case is reported in a man in his 40s who was said to be isolating at home. He "has a history of travel," SNHD said.
The county saw its first confirmed case of the disease on June 20. Previously, SNHD announced it had ordered a "small number" of 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.
As of Thursday, there were 700 confirmed cases of the monkeypox virus in the United States, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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The health district now has a dashboard to track updated case counts at snhd.info/monkeypox.
What is monkeypox and how does it spread?
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.
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.
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Those at risk of contracting the disease include people who have recently traveled internationally, who've had close contact with someone with monkeypox.
