A second suspected case of monkeypox has been identified in Colorado.
The case awaits confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to a press release from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
“The suspected new case is a young adult male who has sought care in the Denver area and is improving and self-isolating at home,” the CDPHE said.
The first possible case in the state was announced Thursday by health authorities. This patient is described as a young man from the Denver area who had traveled to Canada, who is dealing with an outbreak of monkeypox.
Friday’s suspected case is a close contact with the state’s first suspected case, health officials said.
“The person who contracted the virus was a close contact of someone known to public health as a suspected case of monkeypox,” the CDPHE said.
Monkeypox often begins with fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion, the CDPHE said. A rash usually develops one to three days after the fever starts, often starting on the face and spreading to other parts of the body.
Health officials say the risk of monkeypox to the public remains low and there is an effective vaccine available, which can be given soon after exposure, to minimize illness. It is rarely fatal.
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