Sutter County Public Health (SCPH) has received lab confirmation of the first probable monkeypox case in Sutter County August 4, 2022.

Monkeypox is a rare viral infection first identified in 1958. In most countries, cases are rarely seen in people who have not traveled to Central or West Africa, where the virus is endemic (regularly found). However, since May 2022, there has been an uptick in cases among people who have not visited Africa, including in Europe and North America, and here in California.

Overall, the risk to the general public remains very low based on information available. As of Tuesday, August 2, 2022, 1135 cases of the monkeypox virus had been reported in California, and 6,617 cases in the United States. No deaths have been attributed to the monkeypox virus in California. To expand access to vaccinations and raise awareness of monkeypox, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Monday, August 1.

Close, sustained skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact, with a person with monkeypox appears to be the major mechanism associated with transmission among recent cases. While monkeypox can infect anyone, a majority of cases have occurred among persons self-identifying as men who have sex with men.

Symptoms

In humans, symptoms of monkeypox can be similar but milder than symptoms of smallpox.

Symptoms can begin with:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion

The time from infection to symptoms for monkeypox can range anywhere from 5−21 days. The illness typically lasts for 2−4 weeks.

Anyone who has symptoms of monkeypox, such as characteristic rashes or lesions, should contact a health care provider right away. Your doctor will determine whether testing is appropriate.

Transmission

Monkeypox spreads primarily through direct contact with infectious sores, scabs, or body fluids, including during sex, as well as activities like kissing, hugging, massaging, and cuddling. Monkeypox can spread through touching materials used by a person with monkeypox that haven’t been cleaned, such as clothing and bedding. It can also spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, close, face-to-face contact.   

Monkeypox can be spread through:

• Direct skin-skin contact with rash lesions
• Sexual/intimate contact, including kissing 
• Living in a house and sharing a bed with someone
• Sharing towels or unwashed clothing
• Respiratory secretions through prolonged face-to-face interactions (the type that mainly happen when living with someone or caring for someone who has monkeypox)
• Monkeypox is NOT spread through:
• Casual brief conversations
• Walking by someone with monkeypox, like in a grocery store 

Prevention

There are number of ways to prevent the spread of monkeypox, including:

• Always talking to your sexual partner/s about any recent illness and being aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or your partner’s body, including on the genitals and anus
• Avoiding close contact, including sex, with people with symptoms like sores or rashes
• Practicing good hand hygiene
• People who become infected should isolate until their symptoms are improving or have gone away completely.  Rash should always be well covered until completely healed.
• Using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) (like a mask, gown, and gloves) when caring for others with symptoms
• Avoiding contact with infected materials contaminated with the virus
• Avoiding contact with infected animals

Vaccination

As of right now, the CA Department of Public Health has not allocated any monkeypox vaccines to Sutter County Public Health. Therefore, we cannot offer vaccination to high-risk groups. If the situation changes, we will be sure to notify the public.  

Monkeypox is much less transmissible than COVID. Below is the table comparing the two diseases.

For more information, please refer to the CA Department of Public Health’s monkeypox information page: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Monkeypox.aspx