Based on figures from the latest reports, Miami-Dade and Broward counties lead Florida’s Monkeypox cases with Palm Beach occupying the number 4 position in the state.
According to the Florida Department of Health, as of August 14th, Miami-Dade has 493 reported cases, Broward 436, and Palm Beach 59. The department of health has reported 1,266 confirmed cases across Florida. Nationally, there are 11,890 reported cases in the USA, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), as of August 15th.
The top five states with the disease are:
- New York 2,295
- California 1945
- Florida 1,266
- Georgia 851
- Texas 815
Symptoms of Monkeypox
Symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion. A rash usually appears within 1 to 3 days after fever, which starts on the face before spreading to other body parts. It takes between 7 and 14 days to see symptoms after infection, but the incubation period can be as much as 21 days.
How is Monkey Pox transmitted?
According to the CDC, Monkeypox can be transmitted through close, personal, skin-to-skin contact. You are at a higher risk of infection if you make contact with the rash, scabs, or body fluid with an infected person. You can also get the disease if you touch any object, clothing, bedding, towels, or surfaces an infected individual uses. The disease can also be transmitted via respiratory secretions.
Intimate transmission can happen with oral, vaginal, or anal sex and genital touching. Other ways in which Monkeypox can be transmitted intimately include hugging, kissing, or massaging.
It is also possible for a fetus to get Monkeypox from its mother. Lastly, an infected animal can pass the disease to humans through contact from bites, scratches, or meat consumption.
Treatment for Monkeypox
According to the CDC, there are no treatments specifically for Monkeypox. The agency said however: “monkeypox and smallpox viruses are genetically similar, which means that antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to protect against smallpox may be used to prevent and treat monkeypox virus infections.”
The agency also advised that “Most people with monkeypox recover fully within 2 to 4 weeks without the need for medical treatment.”
