First case of Monkeypox detected in Montgomery County, residents react

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — The first case of Monkeypox has been detected in Montgomery County.

Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County announced Monday it has recently identified its first case of Monkeypox in the county.

The health department said it is contract tracing and the infected individual is being treated.

Public Information Manager Dan Suffoletto said Monkeypox does not spread as easily as COVID-19.

You have to be in very close contact with someone who has Monkeypox to get it he said.

“Potentially a situation is if you’re sleeping in the same bed with them, the bed sheets, if you’re having sex with them, it’s coming into close contact. That’s one way that would be transmitted, because it’s the pus of a lesion that forms on your body. And then when someone comes into contact with that, that’s how it spreads,” Suffoletto said.

Some of the symptoms of Monkeypox are swollen lymph nodes, general sickness, and lesions on the body.

>> Previous Coverage: 1 Miami Valley doctor says there will be Monkeypox case in Dayton, But no cause for concern

Close contacts will be notified by Public Health and monitored for symptoms, according to the health department. Some close contacts may be eligible for vaccination to help prevent Monkeypox or decrease symptoms.

But even though Monkeypox cannot be spread as easily as other viruses, many residents are still scared of it.

“It is a concern. I am very much concerned. We had the COVID, now we have the Monkeypox.” Glory Geter of Dayton said. “What’s going to happen to us?”

While others said they are not afraid of it.

“I don’t have fear of monkeypox, monkeypox has fear of me,” one resident said.

If you have strange bumps appear, health officials said it is best to get checked as soon as possible.

For more information about Monkeypox, you can click here.

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