Ohio Department of Health director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff announced a probable case of monkeypox in the Buckeye State on Wednesday.
Vanderhoff added the case was based on “preliminary testing” from the ODH labs, with official national tests still pending.
Vanderhoff also stressed that monkeypox “does not spread easily between people,” meaning the overall risk to Ohioans “is very low.”
“While we do have a probable case of monkeypox here in Ohio, it’s important to note that because the disease is not easily transmitted, there is very little risk to the general public,” he added.
According to the Center for Disease Control, monkeypox can spread through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact including:
- Direct contact with monkeypox rash, sores, or scabs
- Contact with objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels), and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox
- Through respiratory droplets or oral fluids from a person with monkeypox
The most common symptoms of monkeypox include fever, body aches, chills, and fatigue, with more serious ailments including rashes and lesions on the face and hands that can spread throughout the body.