A release issued by the Orange County Heath Agency on Thursday, June 29, indicated that HCA is awaiting “final confirmation” from the Centers for Disease Control of the O.C.’s first case of monkeypox.

The release stated that the individual is currently in isolation and that contact tracing and post-exposure measures are being taken.

“The Public Health Services (PHS) CDC team is working with all relevant agencies and partners to track, control, and curtail the spread of monkeypox within the county,” said Dr. Christopher Zimmerman, CDC Physician. “The affected individual is already in isolation and exposed contacts are in the process to receive post-exposure prophylaxis vaccination.”

The virus is spread by contact with an infected person, including through sexual activity.

The CDC currently classifies the monkeypox virus within the same category as smallpox. Symptoms include a rash that resembles “pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest,” and other regions of the body.

Symptoms can last two to four weeks.

While there is no specific treatment, according to the CDC, antiviral medicines have been successful against the virus. The CDC has also stated that it does not recommend widespread vaccination against the virus.

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