Monkeypox has reached Delaware.
The Division of Public Health announced the first case, a 41-year-old New Castle County man that tested positive for the virus, but is still awaiting confirmation by the CDC.
DPH says the Delaware man did not report any travel or exposure to someone known to have monkeypox, but he is believed to have been exposed to the virus after close intimate contact with someone earlier this month.
DPH is working with him to identify any possible close contacts while he self-isolates. DPH is also working with the CDC to confirm a course of treatment for him.
Monkeypox can make you sick, causing a rash, which may look like pimples or blisters, often with an earlier flu-like illness.
Transmission can occur through contact with another human, an animal, or even materials contaminated with the virus. It can spread through direct contact, respiratory secretions, and touching items that previously touched infectious rash or body fluids.
The incubation period of the illness is typically seven to 14 days, but it can be as long as 21 days while the illness lasts two to four weeks and is rarely fatal. Symptoms are similar to but milder than smallpox.
If you suspect you have any symptoms, contact your healthcare provider, self-isolate, avoid intimate contact with others, and make a list of close contacts in the last 21 days.
