By CINDY GONZALEZ
Nebraska Examiner
OMAHA — A second probable case of monkeypox was reported Tuesday by the Douglas County Health Department — a patient known to have been in contact with a confirmed case.
On June 27, Douglas County and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services reported the state’s first identified case of monkeypox, a male in his 30s with recent international travel.
The latest patient is isolated at home and receiving outpatient care, a statement from the county said. An investigation is underway to identify and inform anyone who might have been exposed.
Risk low to public
County officials said the risk to the public remains low, but anyone with the characteristic rash resembling monkeypox should contact their healthcare provider.
Monkeypox is spread through direct contact with an infected person’s rash, scabs or body fluids or through respiratory secretions during prolonged face-to-face contact. Symptoms resemble those of smallpox but are milder. Monkeypox sometimes starts with a fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion. The rash typically looks like pimples or blisters.
The incubation period is generally seven to 14 days but can range from five days to three weeks, said the statement from county health director Lindsay Huse.
460 cases in U.S.
There is no specific treatment for monkeypox, though some antivirals have been used effectively, according to the statement.
Nearly 5,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported worldwide. In the United States, 460 cases have been reported in 32 states and territories.