New York City has reported two further cases of the orthopoxvirus, which is thought to be monkeypox – the second and third suspected cases recorded in the city.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reviewed its first possible case of the virus late last month.
The city’s health department said they are doing tracing and monitoring and if required, they will refer possible patients for care, WABC reported.
“Monkeypox is rare in New York City but we can prevent the spread. Any New Yorker who feels sick should stay home and contact their provider if they notice sores or lesions,” the department said.
Authorities have also looked into possible infections in Montreal and officials in Massachusetts are investigating if an infection in the state is connected to outbreaks in the UK.
Monkeypox isn’t as easily transmissible as Covid-19 as close contact or sharing of bodily fluids is needed for the virus to spread.
Symptoms include fevers, rashes, muscle aches, and chills. Globally, the virus has been fatal in between three and six per cent of cases, but in areas with good healthcare systems, the fatality rate is below one per cent.
In Central and West Africa, monkeypox is endemic and the virus is seldom found outside of the continent. Those cases are usually connected to travel, but many of the cases found recently in Europe and North America have been in people who haven’t travelled recently, meaning that the virus is spreading in the local area.
But doctors say there’s no reason to worry, but instead encouraged people to be aware.
“It’s primarily spread by very close contact,” epidemiologist Dr Jay Varma told WABC. “It can be spread through the air, but unlike Covid, which can spread over a long range and hang around in the air for a long time, we don’t believe that is true with this virus.”
