What is going on with all of these viruses that are coming out? According to the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services, this virus called Monkeypox is reported in Dallas in an individual who traveled from Nigeria to Dallas.
On Friday, officials released a statement saying that the Dallas city resident is hospitalized and stable.
Delta Air Lines and the CDC are working together along with state and local health officials to contact airline passengers and others who may have been in contact with the patient during two flights from Lagos, Nigeria, to Atlanta on July 8, with arrival on July 9; and Atlanta to Dallas Love Field Airport on July 9.
Health officials say they have identified and are in contact with individuals directly in contact with the patient.
Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, passengers are still wearing masks on flights and in U.S. airports.
Monkeypox is a rare but potentially severe viral illness that typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes, progressing to a widespread rash on the face and body. Most infections last two to four weeks. Monkeypox is in the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes a milder infection.
In this patient’s case, CDC laboratory testing showed the patient is infected with a strain of Monkeypox most commonly seen in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria. The strain of this infection is fatal in about 1 in 100 people, according to the CDC. However, people with weak immune systems could cause the rate to go up. There is no proven safe treatment for Monkeypox virus infection.
It is being said that the patient developed a rash just before leaving Nigeria, but the rash worsened after the patient returned home to Dallas, according to unnamed sources of The Washington Post.
The patient checked in to a hospital on Tuesday, where clinicians diagnosed the patient based on the symptoms and recent travel history from Nigeria. During that time, the patient had rashes on their face and their body.
Authorities said they had interviewed the patient and close contacts who were exposed and determined there is very little risk to the general public. People who do not have symptoms are not capable of spreading the virus to others.
The individual is isolated at the hospital to prevent the spread of the virus.
