Two people in Weld County contract Monkeypox
The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment is offering monkeypox testing to those who are uninsured or who do not have a primary care provider in the wake of two confirmed cases. The two people with monkeypox have been asked to self-isolate until all lesions have scabbed and have been replaced by new skin.
The state health department reported 59 cases of monkeypox in Colorado. CBS4 Medical Editor Dr. Dave Hnida says Coloradans should be aware of the outbreak but not alarmed.
Monkeypox can spread from person to person with close physical contact with a sick person's sores, bumps, or lesions, including through intimate contact. The highest risk factors for monkeypox are men who have sex with men.
Monkeypox may begin with flu-like symptoms that include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and exhaustion. Typically, a rash or skin bumps develop within one to three days after the onset of fever and can appear on most locations of the body.
Vaccinations given within 4 days of exposure can help prevent illness, and vaccines administered between 4 and 14 days after exposure can help prevent severe illness.
