2 additional cases of monkeypox confirmed in Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health says there are two additional cases of monkeypox in the state.The monkeypox cases are in two adult men who had close contact with each other, the DPH announced Sunday.According to the DPH, neither case reports a known link to the first case in Massachusetts, which was identified on May 18.On Thursday, officials with the Rhode Island Department of Health said a suspected case of monkeypox in their state is believed to be related to travel in Massachusetts.The Massachusetts DPH said initial testing on the two newest cases was completed late Saturday at the State Public Health Laboratory in Jamaica Plain. Confirmatory testing will be done at the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention.According to state health officials, the Boston Public Health Commission will lead the case investigations and work with the DPH, the patients and their health care providers to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patients while they were infectious.The two men are currently isolating to prevent the spread of the monkeypox to others.Current data from the CDC indicates that there have been 49 cases of the monkeypox virus in U.S. residents this year, including the first identified case in Massachusetts that was linked to a cluster in Montreal.There have been no deaths in the U.S. or globally related to the current monkeypox outbreak. Health officials say patients generally make a full recovery in two to four weeks.“Although monkeypox infections remain rare, and none of the close contacts from Massachusetts’ first case developed monkeypox during their monitoring period, the CDC is reporting that cases continue to rise across the United States,” DPH State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown said in a statement. “It is very important to be aware of the symptoms of monkeypox and to be vigilant. Individuals with concerning rashes should contact their healthcare provider.”Early symptoms of monkeypox can include fever, headache, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes, but a rash may be the first symptom. Rash lesions start flat, become raised, fill with clear fluid (vesticles) and then become pustules (filled with pus). A person with monkeypox can have many lesions or they may only have a few.Although many of the early monkeypox cases in this current outbreak were associated with international travel, recent cases are not. According to the DPH, gay and bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men, make up a large proportion of the cases identified to date. However, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.While the virus does not spread easily between people, people can spread the infection once they develop symptoms. Transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids and monkeypox sores, by touching items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores (clothing, bedding, etc.), or less commonly, through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact.Anyone who believes they may have monkeypox should isolate, but if they need to leave their home, they should wear a mask and cover their rash or lesions when around others.Those who live with or care for someone who may have monkeypox should wear a mask and disposable gloves if they need to have any direct contact with lesions and when handling any clothes or bedding if the person cannot do it themselves. They should also wash their hands regularly, especially after contact with the person who is infected or with their clothes, bed sheets, towels and other items or surfaces they have touched.

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