Santa Fe.- The New Mexico Department of Health (DOH) reports the first case of monkeypox in New Mexico. The patient returned from travel out of state and was likely exposed through contact. The DOH Scientific Laboratory Division completed initial testing Friday night and confirmatory testing is being completed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The individual is doing well and isolated at home.
“Monkeypox is a very rare disease in the United States, and it is important to note that monkeypox does not spread as easily between people,” said Acting Secretary of the Department of Health, Dr. David R. Scrase, MD “While the risk to most people remains low, anyone who comes into close contact with someone with monkeypox is at risk of becoming infected, making this a public health concern for all of us.” .
Monkeypox symptoms usually begin within 21 days of exposure to the virus. The infection begins with flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle and back aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, or exhaustion. The infection then progresses to a rash or sores, often on the hands, feet, chest, face, or genitals. Most infections last 2 to 4 weeks, and people should isolate at home until they are no longer infectious. A person is no longer infectious once all the scabs have fallen off and a new layer of skin has formed.
Monkeypox can be spread to anyone through close personal contact, often skin-to-skin, including:
Direct contact with the monkeypox rash, sores, or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
Contact with objects, fabrics (clothes, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox.
Contact with respiratory secretions, through kissing and other face-to-face contact.
People with any symptoms of monkeypox should immediately isolate themselves and contact their health care provider to get tested. Before the visit, they should tell their health care provider that they are concerned about monkeypox. If you don’t have a provider or health insurance, you can find a public health office near you and call to make an appointment: https://www.nmhealth.org/location/public/.
If you have been exposed to monkeypox, the CDC recommends a monkeypox vaccine that can help prevent or reduce symptoms of the disease.
The symptoms of monkeypox can also resemble those of syphilis, which is a more common infection. You can find free tests for syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases through the state website at www.nmstdtest.org or in Spanish at https://espanol.nmhivguide.org/syphilis.php.
More information on monkeypox can also be found on NMHealth.org at https://www.nmhealth.org/about/phd/idb/mpv/ and on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/.