KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City, Missouri, Health Department announced in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Saturday that a “single probable monkeypox case” has been found in a KCMO resident with “recent out-of-state travel history.”
Health officials said the initial testing was completed June 18 at the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory.
“Based on initial epidemiologic characteristics and the positive orthopoxvirus result at the state laboratory, health officials consider this a probable monkeypox infection,” the health departments said in a news release.
Confirmation testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet been completed.
“We are considering this a probable case of monkeypox virus until we receive final confirmation from the CDC labs. We appreciate the work our disease investigation and nursing staff have done to educate themselves on this rare virus and be on alert for it," Dr. Marvia Jones, director of the Kansas City Health Department, said in a news release.
Next steps include determining any contact the individual may have had while infectious.
For reasons of confidentiality, KCHD cannot speak on the nature of the patient beyond that the individual was not required to be hospitalized.
“There is no indication there is a great risk of extensive local spread of the virus, as monkeypox does not spread as easily as the COVID-19 virus,” according to the health departments.
Monkeypox is spread person-to-person via physical contact with bodily fluids, monkeypox sores and items contaminated with fluids or sores such as clothing or bedding.
While the health officials say monkeypox is rare, it begins with flu-like symptoms and progresses into a rash on the face and body. Infections typically last between two to four weeks.
Anyone with a new or unexplained rash, sores, symptoms, or confirmation of exposure is asked to see a healthcare provider.
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