Monkeypox infection reported in Dallas resident, officials say – CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – North Texas health officials have reported a case of monkey pox in a Dallas resident who recently traveled from overseas.

The Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services said the resident, who has not been identified, traveled from Nigeria to Dallas and arrived at Dallas Love Field Airport on July 9, 2021. The resident is currently being treated in a hospital and is in stable condition.

The department said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was working with the airline and other health officials to determine if there had been contact between the resident and other passengers.

Monkeypox is an infectious disease that can be spread by contact, particularly through respiratory droplets, according to the CDC. The disease can also spread between human and animal contact.

Health officials believe the risk of spread through respiratory droplets on the flight was low due to passengers being required to wear face masks amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Although rare, this case is not a cause for alarm and we do not expect any threat to the general public. Dallas County Health and Human Services works closely with local providers, as well as with our state and federal partners, ”said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

“We worked closely with the CDC and DSHS and conducted interviews with the patient and close contacts who were exposed,” said DCHHS Director Dr Philip Huang. “We have determined that there is very little risk to the general public. This is yet another demonstration of the importance of maintaining a strong public health infrastructure, as we are only one flight away from any global infectious disease. “

Dr Huang told CBS 11 News it’s cases like this where the lessons of the pandemic are paying off.

“I think this is one more example of the importance of public health and how public health affects us all,” he said.

Symptoms of monkey pox, according to the CDC, include fever, muscle pain, and swollen lymph nodes. A rash will also begin to appear all over the body.