US hit by MONKEYPOX. A Maryland patient tested positive for this rare virus following a trip in Nigeria, according to health officials.

  • Monkeypox has been found in a Maryland resident who traveled from Nigeria to the United States.
  • Unnamed resident currently recuperating in isolation, with mild symptoms. He has not yet been admitted to hospital.
  • Health officials are currently tracking down any airline passengers who came into the contact with the passenger on the flight and after their return to the U.S.
  • Monkeypox is a virus that originated from monkeys used in research in western and central Africa. It kills just 1% of the infected.
  • The virus has never infected humans, and was absent for several decades in the U.S. before making its return in 2003. 










Following a recent visit to Nigeria, Maryland residents tested positive in the laboratory for the rare virus monkeypox.

Maryland Department of Health (MDH), says that the patient is not currently in a hospital and is recovering alone with only mild symptoms. 

We don’t know the name or age of the resident, nor where they live or went to Nigeria.

According to health professionals, the public doesn’t need any extra precautions at this time. 

A Maryland resident traveling back to the United States from Nigeria has been confirmed to be infected with monkeypox. Pictured: Skin lesions, which are are a common symptom of monkeypox

One Maryland resident, who was returning from Nigeria with his children, has now been diagnosed as having monkeypox. Pictorial: Skin lesions which is a common sign of monkeypox.

The unnamed resident is currently recovering in isolation with mild symptoms and has not been hospitalized. The virus can cause skin spots, which then turn to blisters and can take weeks to clear up (above)

Unnamed residents are currently in isolation and have mild symptoms. They were not admitted to hospital. It can lead to skin spots that then become blisters. This can be a serious condition and may take several weeks for the virus to go away (as shown above).

“Public health authorities have identified, and continue to monitor those who might have been in touch with the diagnosed person,” Dr Jinlene Chan (deputy secretary for public-health at MDH) stated in a statement. 

“Our coordinated response with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials shows how important it is to maintain a strong public healthcare infrastructure.” 

A media release by the CDC reveals that its scientists have confirmed Tuesday that the traveler has monkeypox.

The patient’s strain matches that which has been emerging in Nigeria since 2017. 

Currently, CDC works with airline officials and health officers to reach passengers on the same flight with the patient.    

The CDC stated in a statement that travelers to the United States had to use masks while on board the aircraft. This was due to ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.

‘Therefore, it’s believed the risk of spread of monkeypox virus via respiratory droplets to others on the planes is low. 

“CDC collaborates with state, local and airline health partners in assessing the potential risks for people who have been in close contact with travelers on board the aircraft and at their destination.

In 1958, Monkeypox emerged in a group of crab-eating macaque monkeys.

The first-ever human case was detected in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, since spreading to many central and western African nations.  

Monkeypox originated in crab-eating macaques (pictured) kept for research in central and western Africa and kills 1% of those infected

Monkeypox was first discovered in the crab-eating macaques shown (pictured). This virus is used for research purposes in western and central Africa, and it kills just 1%.

The virus is transmitted from animal to human via bites and scratches.

The virus can be spread from person to person by breathing in droplets of airborne particles – much like how humans spread COVID-19 between each other.  

Skin lesions are a sign of more severe infections.

The virus had been largely eradicated by 2003, when it was reintroduced to humans in America. 

Monkeypox is not a vaccine or treatment. However, it has been reported that the smallpox vaccination helped to make monkeypox a non-problem among humans for years. 

Other cases of monkeypox have been detected recently including in a Texas man in July and in Wales in June, when at least two people came down with the virus in the northern part of the country.  

MONKEYPOX, A RARE DISEASE CAUSED RASH and FEVER, IS NOT COMMON.

Monkeypox can be described as a rare virus that causes severe skin reactions, such as blistering and flu-like symptoms.

The tropical regions of central and west Africa are home to the virus that causes the disease.

The first case of monkeypox in human beings was reported in Congo, in 1972. In the United States, the first human cases of the disease were reported in September 2018 and in the UK in 2003.

Although it is most commonly found in wild animals, humans can also catch it by touching animals such as monkeys, squirrels and rats, or by eating poorly cooked meat. 

Broken skin, eyes, nose and mouth can all be infected by the virus.

You can spread it between your body by touching droplets of airborne virus, touching skin infected individuals, or touching contaminated objects. 

The symptoms usually show up between five and 21 days after infection. These symptoms include fatigue, fever, muscle aches and swelling, as well as headaches.

A rash is the most visible sign. It usually develops on the skin and spreads to the rest of the body. The skin then develops a rash that can scab or fall off.

Most cases of monkeypox are mild and most people recover within weeks. However, it can sometimes prove fatal.

According to the World Health Organization, there are not any vaccines or treatments for monkeypox.

 

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