First probable monkeypox case reported in the Tri-County Area

EUREKA – The Woodford County Health Department and Illinois Department of Public Health announced in a Friday press release that a Woodford County resident likely has monkeypox.

Based on test results that came back positive for orthopoxvirus – the genus to which the monkeypox virus belongs – health officials have labeled the case a presumptive monkeypox infection.

The case marks the first evidence of monkeypox in the Tri-County Area.

"Woodford County Health Department and IDPH are working closely to identify individuals with whom the patient may have been in contact while infectious," the news release noted. "This contact tracing approach is appropriate given the nature and transmission of the virus."

So far, no additional cases have been identified, and officials noted that "there is no indication there is a great risk of extensive local spread of the virus, as MPV does not spread as easily as COVID-19 virus."

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Cases of monkeypox, a virus first identified in 1958 that can cause fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes, have been documented elsewhere in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Public Health lists 771 probable and confirmed cases on its website. Cases have so far been largely concentrated in the city of Chicago.

"People who have a new or unexplained rash, sores, symptoms, or have a confirmed exposure should see a healthcare provider, remind them that the virus is circulating in the community, and avoid sex or being intimate with anyone until they have been seen," the news release continued. "If a person or their partner has MPV, they should follow treatment and prevention recommendations outlined by their healthcare provider."

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: First probable monkeypox case reported in Peoria area