Thurston County Public Health and Social Services (PHSS) was notified last week of a presumptive case of the monkeypox in Thurston County.
According to a news release from PHSS, a private laboratory in Washington state reported a specimen from a resident in Thurston County tested positive for non-variola orthopox virus.
“Since there are no other orthopox viruses currently circulating, a positive test result is presumed to be positive for monkeypox,” stated the release.
Washington’s first case of monkeypox was confirmed on May 27. This would be the first case of monkeypox in Thurston County.
As of Friday, Sept. 9, there were 488 monkeypox cases identified within the state.
People who become infected with the viral illness typically experience a rash, followed by flu-like symptoms. The illness is spread through contact with lesions, intimate skin to skin contact, respiratory droplets through coughing or sneezing, and objects contaminated with infected material, stated the release.
Symptoms usually start within three weeks of exposure. Those with flu-like symptoms typically develop a rash within four days.
Infected individuals are infectious until the rash has completely healed, which takes two to four weeks in most cases, according to PHSS.
Those with the highest risk of contracting monkeypox include people who’ve had sexual or “high-risk” close contact with someone who has been diagnosed. Gay and bisexual men and transgender people who’ve had multiple gay, bisexual or transgender partners in the last three months are at risk too, stated the release.
People who’ve used methamphetamine in the last three months are at risk as well.
The news release from PHSS said the risk of infection to the general public is low at this time. The health department currently does not recommend vaccination for members of the general public who aren’t at high risk of monkeypox exposure.
