Health & Fitness
2 More Probable Monkeypox Cases Rise In Riverside County
There were two more probable cases in men, identified only as under the age of 60, in the eastern part of the county, officials said.
RIVERSIDE, CA — Following Wednesday's first confirmed monkeypox case in the county, the Riverside County Department of Public Health reported two more probable cases, a county spokesperson said.
Riverside University Health System spokesperson Jose Arballo said Wednesday that a tissue sample of the first probable case was sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which confirmed the case as positive.
On Friday, Arballo said there were two more probable cases in men, identified only as under the age of 60, in the eastern part of the county.
Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The individual with the first confirmed case in the county was identified only as a 60-year-old eastern county man. He was undergoing treatment in an outpatient setting and did not require hospitalization, according to the Department of Public Health.
A total of 136 monkeypox cases have been confirmed in California -- the second highest of any state -- while nationwide, the aggregate count is at 791, according to the latest CDC data.
Find out what's happening in Banning-Beaumontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Federal health officials have categorized the general health threat from monkeypox as low.
It's generally spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact, resulting from infectious rashes and scabs, though respiratory secretions and bodily fluids exchanged during extended physical episodes, such as sexual intercourse, can also lead to transmission, according to the CDC.
Symptoms include fresh pimples, blisters, rashes, fever and fatigue, officials said. There is no specific treatment. People who have been infected with smallpox, or have been vaccinated for it, may have immunity to monkeypox, according to published reports.
People with symptoms are urged to visit a medical provider, cover the rash area with clothing, wear a mask and avoid close or skin-to-skin contact with others.
The CDC particularly recommends those steps for people who recently traveled to an area where monkeypox cases have been reported, or who have had contact with a confirmed or suspected monkeypox case.
A full list of countries that have confirmed monkeypox cases is available at wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/monkeypox.
A state-by-state tally of cases is available at www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/us-map.html.
—City News Service
