LOCAL & STATE SITUATION
There is one presumptive case of monkeypox in Mesa County. The individual is a male and local exposure is limited.
Local healthcare and public health are working to ensure all impacted individuals have access to treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP is when someone exposed to the disease is given the monkeypox vaccine 5-14 days after exposure to reduce symptoms of the disease. The vaccine is only available for individuals who are identified as a contact.
There are nine confirmed cases of monkeypox in Colorado. Case numbers are updated on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) website here.
NATIONAL SITUATION
There are confirmed cases in 37 states and territories. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working with state health departments to monitor all cases of monkeypox in the United States.
PUBLIC HEALTH RECOMMENDATIONS
Monkeypox can look like syphilis, herpes, blisters, or acne. If you have a new rash or bumps, have it checked out by a medical provider even if you don’t think you had contact with someone who has monkeypox. Your medical provider can recommend testing if they decide the rash is consistent with monkeypox.
Healthcare professionals can find clinical guidance on CDPHE’s monkeypox webpage. For further guidance, providers can call Mesa County Public Health’s 24/7 disease reporting line at 970-254-4120.
BACKGROUND
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Symptoms are similar to smallpox, but less severe. They begin with flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes. A rash that can look like pimples or blisters may appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body. It is rarely fatal. There is a vaccine for monkeypox, and it can be treated with antiviral medicines. Most people recover in two to four weeks.
The spread of monkeypox is different from the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. While COVID-19 passed easily from person to person, monkeypox does not spread as easily between people. Monkeypox transmission typically requires skin-to-skin contact, direct contact with body fluids, or prolonged face-to-face contact.