This electron microscopic image depicts a monkeypox virion, obtained from a clinical sample associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. Santa Clara County announced its first probable case of monkeypox on June 23, 2022. Courtesy CDC/Cynthia S. Goldsmith via Public Health Image Library.
A suspected case of monkeypox virus is under investigation in Santa Clara County, the Public Health Department said in a statement on Thursday.
The person, who traveled internationally, has preliminarily tested positive after seeking medical care. The case was reported to the county Public Health Department, which is working with the state of California Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The county Public Health Department is awaiting confirmation from the CDC.
The patient is in isolation and the county is contacting people who might have been in close contact with the person. Additional details about the individual won’t be released for reasons of medical privacy, county officials said.
Monkeypox is a rare disease. Symptoms typically include a fever, intense headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy, swollen lymph nodes and a skin rash or lesions. The rash usually begins within one to three days of the start of a fever. Lesions can be flat or slightly raised, filled with clear or yellowish fluid, and can then crust, dry up and fall off. The number of lesions range from a few to several thousand. The rash tends to be concentrated on the face, palms of the hands and soles of the feet but can also be found on the mouth, genitals and eyes, according to the World Health Organization.
The overall risk of monkeypox to the general population is low, county health leaders said. People who suspect they might have been exposed to monkeypox or have the characteristic rash or other symptoms should contact their health care provider immediately, the county said.
