(Eagle News) — As if Covid wasn’t enough of a concern, another disease has landed in the US. It is something many probably haven’t heard of before. Monkeypox.

The first US case in years has recently been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Texas health authorities.

The disease was found in a US resident who recently traveled from Nigeria to the United States.
The infected person was a Dallas County resident making the person the County’s first ever case of Monkeypox.

Because the flight that the Texas resident was on required all travelers to wear masks, authorities believe that risk of Monkeypox to others on the plane and airport is low.

Federal and Texas State health officials, however have identified and are in contact with people who were in direct contact with the person infected with Monkeypox.

Dallas County Health Director Dr. Philip Huang says they have “determined that there is very little risk to the general public.”

In 2003 a large outbreak of Monkeypox happened here in the US after the virus spread from imported African rodents to pet prairie dogs. 47 reported human cases happened during that outbreak.

(Eagle News Service)