Global health leaders are trying to figure out what caused the monkeypox outbreak we are seeing now.
A leading world health organization adviser now says it may be explained by risky sexual behavior at two recent mass events in Spain and Belgium.
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The WHO says there have been more than 90 cases in a dozen countries, including the U.S.
Last week, Massachusetts health officials confirmed a case, and there are four other suspected cases including one in Florida and one in New York.
This isn’t the first time the virus has made its way to the states. The CDC says 47 people were infected in a 2003 outbreak, including one person in Ohio.
News Center 7 spoke to Doctor Joseph Allen, a regional medical director for Premier Health. He expects we will see it in our state again.
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“Will it be here? Long winded answer is yes it can, but at the same time we’re going to watch it close and see what happens,” Allen said.
Allen said it is primarily spread through respiratory droplets, but that it’s not as contagious as COVID-19.
“If you use COVID as a definition of pandemic, we’re probably going to see a much less impact than what that had,” Allen said.
Allen said signs and symptom include fever, lethargy, and a rash of little blisters that generally starts on the arms, legs, or face and then spreads to palms and feet.
He says it usually takes five to seven days to get out of your system...
Allen said to get rid of it you would quarantine at home and just wait it out.
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