Monkeypox outbreak hasn't reached region

Aug. 15—While the nation and the world are continuing to brave through the coronavirus pandemic for a third year, an ongoing monkeypox outbreak has emerged.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus that is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, which causes smallpox.

"Monkeypox is not a new virus, it's been around for quite some time," said Clay Horton, public health director at Green River District Health Department. "Typically, it's found in central and west Africa; although from time to time, you would see little outbreaks of monkeypox in different parts of the world."

Symptoms of monkeypox include a rash near private areas of the body and could be found on other areas such as hands, feet, chest, face or mouth. It can have the appearance of pimples or blisters and can itch and be painful.

Fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle aches and backache and headaches may also be symptoms, which last between two to four weeks.

Before the outbreak, which was confirmed in May, the CDC said almost all monkeypox cases in people outside of Africa were linked to international travel to countries where the disease commonly occurs or through imported animals.

Horton recalls earlier in his career in public health when there were cases in the United States among pet prairie dogs, but he said the virus didn't spread as frequently when found in places outside.

"It's different this time," he said. "Not only are we seeing monkeypox in the United States, but we're seeing it all over the world. There's still probably a lot of questions to be answered, but it is definitely spreading, and it is spreading everywhere in the world."

According to Horton and the CDC, the virus is spread via "close prolonged" and "close skin-to-skin" contact, while the CDC reports that many, but not all, of the reported cases during this outbreak has been found among gay and bisexual men.

However, Horton said this should not cause folks to ostracize.

"This is just where the vast majority of cases have occurred," Horton said. "There's nothing in the biology of this that is going to limit it to those groups. It can be spread to others as well, and there have been others that have been infected. But that's where the most risk is and the prominent number of cases right now."

As of Aug. 9, the CDC reported 9,492 cases confirmed in the U.S., with California and New York seeing 1,310 and 2,104 cases, respectively, while Kentucky has only confirmed 10 cases — one of the lowest totals in the country.

Horton said that none of the cases have been confirmed to be in the GRDHD and that the way COVID and monkeypox spread is very different.

"COVID is highly infectious, very easily spread through droplets," he said. "Monkeypox is not as sufficient ... and the most common pathway of spread currently from what we understand is very close, prolonged skin-to-skin contact.

"I don't know if I would make comparisons to COVID with this. I think we're all tempted to do that because we just came through this experience with COVID-19, and it's kind of reshaped the public's view of public health and how you respond to these types of things — but they are very different types of diseases. The way that they are spreading and the way they are impacting society are not similar at all, I don't believe."

Though Horton said the mortality rate has been "very low" with the virus in the past, it's still something that draws concern.

"I don't think there's a mortality case in the United States yet, but it's still something that you don't want to take lightly," he said. "From what I've been reading, it's very, very painful. It's something that's certainly going to disrupt your life and be very unpleasant. But thankfully, it's not a fatal disease."

Horton said that vaccines are available for the virus, though not in "great supply. There's not as many vaccines available that we would like, but they are available in our area."

Horton said there is also testing available for monkeypox through both public health and commercial laboratories and encourages those to speak openly with others about their risk of monkeypox before having close contact and "spread the word."

"If you know of others that are having sores or rashes ... make sure they are getting medical attention or seeing their health care provider," he said.

For more information about monkeypox, visit chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/idb/Pages/monkeypox.aspx.