HEALTH DEPARTMENT CONFIRMS MADISON COUNTY RESIDENT TESTS POSITIVE FOR MONKEYPOX
JACKSON, Tenn. – The Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department has received positive test results for a confirmed case of monkeypox in a Madison County resident.
Health department epidemiology staff will notify individuals who may have had close contact with the confirmed case while the patient was infectious.
“Monkeypox is spreading throughout the state and we anticipated getting a case in Madison County,” Regional Director Kim Tedford said. “We encourage people to be vigilant and protect themselves.”
Monkeypox is a rare disease in the same family of viruses that cause smallpox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal.
Monkeypox symptoms usually start within 3 weeks of exposure to the virus. If someone has flu-like symptoms, they will usually develop a rash 1 to 4 days later. People with monkeypox get a rash that may be located on or near the genitals or anus and could be on other areas like the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth.
The CDC states monkeypox can spread from person to person through:
Direct contact with monkeypox rash, scabs, or bodily fluids
Touching objects, fabrics (bedding, clothing, or towels), and surfaces that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids
Respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact
A person with monkeypox can spread it to others from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. Most people with monkeypox recover fully within 2 to 4 weeks without the need for medical treatment. Antiviral medication may be recommended for people who are more likely to get severely ill, like patients with weakened immune systems.
If you develop monkeypox symptoms or think you may have been exposed to someone who has monkeypox, contact your health care provider immediately.
Vaccines are currently available, but limited. Based on CDC recommendations, the health department is currently only providing vaccines to people who have been in close contact or exposed to someone with monkeypox. Individuals who have had multiple sex partners within the last 14 days, specifically men who have sex with men, are also eligible for vaccination.
The Tennessee Department of Health provides updated monkeypox case counts by region weekly. Find that information and more at https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/reportable-diseases/monkeypox.html. The CDC has updated information and guidance available online at https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/.
