First case of monkeypox in Dunn County confirmed

MENOMONIE, Wis. (WEAU) - The Dunn County Health Department and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services confirmed Monday the first case of monkeypox in Dunn County, according to a release.

The Dunn County Health Department said that the infected person is “doing well” and isolating at home, and that the Health Department is working with the infected person to find out who they may have been in contact with while they were infectious.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services said that as of Aug. 19, there were 53 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Wisconsin.

The Department said that monkeypox does not easily spread from person-to-person through casual contact. It most easily spreads during close, sustained contact with an infected person. Monkeypox can spread the following ways:

Through direct contact with an infected person’s skin lesions or body fluids.
Transmission may happen through intimate physical contact during sex.
By sharing contaminateditems, such as bedding or clothing, with an infected person.
Through respiratory droplets associated with prolonged face-to-face contact.

The Dunn County Health Department said that they will reach out to anyone who has been in contact with a person who is confirmed to have monkeypox and ask them to monitor for symptoms, which can include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a rash that can look like pimples or blisters. The monkeypox rash usually develops one to three days after the fever, but some people may experience a rash or sores first. Some may only develop a rash.

In the release, the Health Department said people at higher risk for severe infection, which may include people with compromised immune systems, certain skin conditions and children, should be aware of the potential for exposure and the signs and symptoms of infection. If you have symptoms of monkeypox, the Health Department said to contact a health care provider, and if you become ill, avoid close contact with others until you receive health care. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks, and most people get better on their own without treatment. You can get up-to-date information on monkeypox by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website or by visiting the CDC’s website. If you have questions about monkeypox, call the Dunn County Health Department at 715-232-2388 or call 211Wisconsin by dialing 2-1-1.