BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Department of Health said Thursday that it has identified the first case of monkeypox in a Louisiana resident.
The health department said the first case was detected in a resident who lives in the New Orleans metro-area. In addition, the LDH said an out-of-state resident visiting Louisiana also tested positive for the virus.
The LDH said that monkeypox is a potentially serious viral illness that involves flu-like symptoms, swelling of the lymph nodes and a rash that includes bumps that are filled with fluid before scabbing over. The illness could be confused with sexually transmitted infections like syphilis or herpes, or with chickenpox. Infections usually last between two and four weeks.
Monkeypox is spread in different ways but most commonly through direct contact with a rash or sores of someone who has the virus. It can also spread through contact with clothing, bedding and other items used by a person with monkeypox, or from respiratory droplets that can be passed through prolonged face-to-face contact, including kissing, cuddling or sex.
People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others.
Symptoms of monkeypox can include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals or anus
According to the CDC, early data suggest that gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men make up a high number of cases. However, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.
Anyone with concerns that they have been exposed or infected should seek medical attention
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