PROVIDENCE – The first probable case of monkeypox has been discovered in Rhode Island, the R.I. Department of Health announced Thursday.
The department said a Providence man in his 30s tested positive for the disease and his case is believed to related to travel to Massachusetts. He is hospitalized and in good condition.
When Your Period Is Disrupting Your Life, It’s Time to Talk About It
For many women, heavy or irregular menstrual cycles are often brushed off as “normal”—something to…
Learn More
The department said contact tracing is being conducted and the risk for Rhode Island residents remains low.
“While monkeypox is certainly a concern, the risk to Rhode Islanders remains low – even with this finding. Monkeypox is a known – and remains an exceedingly uncommon – disease in the United States. Fortunately, there is a vaccine for monkeypox that can be given before or after exposure to help prevent infection,” said Dr. James McDonald, interim health director. “RIDOH continues to engage in active case finding and we have been communicating the latest information with health care providers so that they have the information they need to help us ‘identify, isolate, and inform.’ ”
Monkeypox is not known to spread easily among humans; transmission generally does not occur through casual contact, the department explained in its release. Human-to-human transmission occurs primarily through direct contact with body fluids, including the rash caused by monkeypox. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes. Infected people develop a rash, often beginning on the face then spreading to other parts of the body, that turns into fluid-filled bumps (pox). The illness typically lasts two to four weeks.
More information about monkeypox can be found here.
