Monkeypox Cases Now at 15 in Connecticut

There are now 15 cases of monkeypox in Connecticut, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker says two of those cases are confirmed to be in New Haven.

The people in New Haven diagnosed with the virus are a man in his 20s and a man in his 30s, according to Elicker.

The mayor held a news conference with public health officials to provide an update on the case of monkeypox in the city and to share information about the disease.

Health officials in New Haven said the incubation period is typically three to 21 days following exposure and the health department's role is to monitor any close contacts of anyone who has monkeypox through that period.

They are asking anyone who is diagnosed with monkeypox to isolate. They are also asking them to avoid close contact with people within the household and to maintain a safe distance from people and animals in your home.

They urge people in homes where there is a monkeypox case to make sure you are cleaning and disinfecting if they are using the same bathroom.

Anyone who thinks they have monkeypox is urged to seek medical care.

Yale New Haven Hospital has a call center at 1-877-ASK-YNHH that people can call to get their questions answered.

A West Hartford man who has been diagnosed with monkeypox shared his experience with NBC Connecticut Tuesday.

What Are The Symptoms of Monkeypox?

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.

The CDC says the current strain of monkeypox is rarely fatal.