OKLAHOMA REPORTS 1ST CASE OF MONKEYPOX

[link to www.publicradiotulsa.org (secure)]


There are two identified cases of monkeypox in Oklahoma. Health experts think there are more

Oklahoma’s state health department announced a second probable case of monkeypox on Friday, but health experts across the country are concerned that case numbers are artificially low.

Compared to COVID-19, monkeypox has a low transmission rate. Nonetheless, a global outbreak has infected thousands of people. There are several symptoms, but the predominant are skin lesions and blisters.

“I think these cases are going unrecognized because the disease is presenting a little differently,” said Dr. David Holden Oklahoma State Medical Association’s president.
The virus can spread through physical contact. Like smallpox, monkeypox lesions can contaminate surfaces such as clothes and blankets, and then spread from there. It seems more common in this outbreak for the virus to spread through sexual contact.

Holden said the virus can spread through respiratory droplets, like COVID. One major difference, though, is COVID particles are so small, they travel in tiny aerosol droplets and linger in the air. Monkeypox particles are too large for that, so they can’t spread as far — again, requiring close contact for transmission. So it’s not likely monkeypox will spread in a setting such as a grocery store.