Rare but not alarming: All you need to know about monkeypox found in Texas

A rare case of monkeypox was detected in Texas, marking the first such cases recorded in the state, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. “While rare, this case is not a reason for alarm and we do not expect any threat to the general public,” Dallas County judge Clay Jenkins told the Associated Press.

Read on to find out more about this rare disease.

1. Monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox. It is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that is characterised by flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes, which gradually progresses to a widespread rash all over the face and body.
2. It spreads from one person to another via respiratory droplets. CDC has stated that wearing masks in airports due to the coronavirus pandemic means the chances of patient zero spreading it during his travels are low.
3. Smallpox had a higher fatality rate than monkeypox.
4. Monkeypox, as its name suggests, was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease were recorded in colonies of monkeys kept for research.
5. The first case of monkeypox in humans was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of Congo during a period of intensified effort to eliminate smallpox.
6. Scientists have so far discovered two distinct genetic groups of monkeypox virus—Central African and West African.
7. The most recent case detected in the US has been infected by the type of virus found in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria, CDC said.
8. The United Kingdom, Israel and Singapore have recorded cases of monkeypox in six passengers, all of whom were returning from Nigeria.