Monkeypox announcement

2022 U.S. Monkeypox Cases

• CDC is tracking multiple cases of monkeypox that have been reported in several countries that don’t normally report monkeypox, including the United States.
• CDC is urging healthcare providers in the U.S. to be alert for patients who have rash illnesses consistent with monkeypox.
• CDC is working with state and local health officials to identify people who may have been in contact with individuals who have tested positive for monkeypox, so they can monitor their health.
• Monkeypox is rare and does not spread easily between people without close contact. The threat of monkeypox to the general U.S. population remains LOW.

What You Should Do

Anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox should talk to their healthcare provider, even if they don’t think they had contact with someone who has monkeypox. People who may be at higher risk might include but are not limited to those who:
1. Had contact with someone who had a rash that looks like monkeypox or someone who was diagnosed with confirmed or probable monkeypox
2. Had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity, this includes men who have sex with men who meet partners through an online website, digital application (“app”), or social event (e.g., a bar or party)
3. Traveled outside the US to a country with confirmed cases of monkeypox or where monkeypox activity has been ongoing
4. Had contact with a dead or live wild animal or exotic pet that exists only in Africa or used a product derived from such animals (e.g., game meat, creams, lotions, powders, etc.)

Symptoms of Monkeypox

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion
• A rash that may have been flat and then formed blisters or has crusted

As of this notice, there are only 7 known cases in Texas. If you have been exposed to someone diagnosed with monkeypox or are experiencing related symptoms, contact your health care provider.