MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota has reported a presumptive case of monkeypox, an infectious disease that has raised concerns because it has emerged globally over the past year and has been found in 26 U.S. states.
The infection announced Monday involves a Twin Cities adult who is receiving outpatient treatment for an infection that likely occurred during overseas travel. The state's public health laboratory identified the infection, which is now being confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Close contacts of the infected individual are being identified and will be alerted to their risks of infection, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The risk to the broader public remains low, because monkeypox doesn't spread as easily as other infectious agents. Transmission often involves prolonged face-to-face exposure or contact with infectious sores or bodily fluids, or with contaminated clothing or other items.
