monkeypox

Conn.'s First Case of Monkeypox is Man From New Haven County: DPH

NBC Universal, Inc.

The state's first case of monkeypox is a man from New Haven County, according to the Connecticut Department of Public Health.

DPH officials said the patient is a man between the ages of 40 and 49. He is a resident of New Haven County.

At this time, DPH said the man is isolating and has not been hospitalized.

We already have vaccines and treatments approved for monkeypox

“The United States is currently experiencing a monkeypox outbreak, and there
will likely be additional cases in Connecticut in the weeks ahead. Monkeypox can spread through close prolonged contact with an infected person. This might include coming into contact with skin lesions, or body fluids, sharing clothes or other materials that have been used by an infected person, or inhaling respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact," said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD.

Monkeypox is not classified as a sexually transmitted disease

Juthani said DPH believes the risk to Connecticut from this case is low.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes monkeypox as a rare disease caused by an infection with the monkeypox virus.

Symptoms of monkeypox can include:

  • fever
  • headache
  • muscle aches and backache
  • swollen lymph nodes
  • chills
  • exhaustion
  • a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear inside the mouth or on other parts of the body including the hands, feet, chest, etc.

Officials at the CDC say sometimes people get a rash first followed by other symptoms. Other people only experience a rash.

More information about monkeypox can be found here.

Contact Us