LAS VEGAS — According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,12 states have reported cases of Monkeypox.
The number of confirmed or probable cases of Monkeypox has grown to 31 in the United States. Officials reported 25 confirmed cases this past Friday.
Here in the valley, scientists are actively testing human waste to look for the Monkeypox pathogen. They believe they will find it but for now, there are no confirmed cases of the virus in Nevada. Our neighboring state, California, has one of the highest numbers of Monkeypox cases in the country right now.
An infectious disease specialist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas says Monkeypox is not airborne, but you can catch it from an infected animal or human through direct contact with bodily fluids, sores, or infected materials. He says the illness begins with headaches, muscle aches, chills, and lesions.
“The rash, which has this sort of appearance of these lesions that can be rather large, that can be posture, or they can appear anywhere on the body, including the face and the hands-on the trunk and extremities in general," said Dr. David Dijohn.
A vaccine to prevent Monkeypox is available, and the Southern Nevada Health District says they will order it from the CDC if it is needed.
This story was first reported by Abel Garcia at KTNV in Las Vegas.
