Rare but not alarming: everything you need to know about monkey pox found in Texas

A rare case of monkey pox has been detected in Texas, marking the first such case recorded in the state, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. “Although rare, this case is not cause for alarm and we do not expect any threat to the general public,” Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins told The Associated Press.

Read on to learn more about this rare disease.

1. Monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox. This is a rare but potentially serious viral disease characterized by flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes, which gradually progresses to a rash that is widespread all over the face and body.
2. It is spread from person to person by respiratory droplets. The CDC has said that wearing masks at airports due to the coronavirus pandemic means the chances of Patient Zero spreading it during their travels are low.
3. Smallpox had a higher death rate than monkey pox.
4. Monkey pox, as the name suggests, was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a smallpox-like disease were recorded in colonies of monkeys kept for research.
5. The first case of monkey pox in humans was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during a period of intensified efforts to eliminate smallpox.
6. Scientists have so far discovered two distinct genetic groups of monkey pox viruses: Central Africa and West Africa.
7. The most recent case detected in the United States was infected with the type of virus found in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria, the CDC said.
8. The UK, Israel and Singapore have recorded cases of monkey pox in six passengers, all returning from Nigeria.