Finding contacts is ongoing in both states. The initial tests were performed in the laboratories of the State Department of Health and confirmatory tests are pending in the laboratories of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The risk of smallpox in the general public is still extremely low,” said Indiana Health Commissioner Dr. Chris Box. “Monkey pox is rare and is not easily transmitted through brief casual contact.” As of Friday, the CDC has reported more than 110 confirmed cases of avian / orthopedic smallpox virus in several states. California has 24 cases, followed by New York with 21 and Illinois with 15. The Department of Health in Houston, Texas, confirmed the first case of smallpox in monkeys on Saturday. “The resident showed symptoms after returning from the trip and is experiencing a mild illness,” the Houston Department of Health said in a written statement. “The resident did not need hospitalization and is isolated in his home.” The first case of smallpox in the United States in 2022 was reported in mid-May, when a Massachusetts resident tested positive after returning from Canada. More than 2,103 confirmed cases and 1 suspected case of monkey pox have been reported worldwide this year at the World Health Organization from 42 countries, including one death in Nigeria, according to a WHO status update. Monkey pox is a rare infection, a much less serious cousin of the smallpox virus that has now been eradicated. It is endemic to parts of western and central Africa and is usually infected by rodents or small mammals. It is not easily transmitted from one person to another. However, monkey pox virus can be spread through contact with body fluids, monkey pox wounds, or objects such as clothing and bedding that have been infected with the virus. It can also be transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets, usually in close quarters, according to the CDC.
