JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A case of monkeypox has been confirmed in Duval County on Friday, according to the Florida Department of Health. Another case is listed as "probable" according to the department. One of is case is listed as having contracted the disease in Florida, while the other case got it somewhere in the U.S. The state is not specified.
How does monkeypox spread?
The disease, which can cause a serious skin rash, appears to be spreading largely via direct contact with the skin or saliva of an infected person.
Monkeypox can spread from person to person through direct contact with the rash, scabs or bodily fluids like saliva.
It can also be transmitted with prolonged face-to-face contact via respiratory droplets.
Pregnant women can transmit the virus to their fetus through the placenta.
At this time, it's not known if monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluids. However, the DSHS says the majority of Texas cases, so far, involve men who've had sex with other men.
Monkeypox symptoms
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
Rash that looks like pimples or blisters; the rash often appears first on the face and/or inside the mouth and then on other parts of the body.
Anyone who develops a rash should avoid direct contact with other people and contact their health care provider as soon as possible for the next steps.