With three confirmed cases of monkeypox now in Osceola County per the Centers for Disease Control, and confirmed Friday afternoon by the Osceola County Health Department, the local agency is responding, and is providing information to residents about the outbreak of this new infectious viral disease.
FDOH-Osceola spokesperson Jeremy Lanier said that while the risk remains low for transmission, the Health Department will continue to provide a response and work with community partners to provide information.
“We provided that robust response to COVID-19, but while monkeypox doesn’t present that same risk, we’ll have a very focused response to any local confirmed positive case or those in contact with a positive case,” he said.
With cases previously confirmed to neighboring Polk, Lake and Orange counties prior to Osceola’s case, Lanier said this did not catch the county off guard – Osceola is preparing for receipt of a vaccine.
“Prior to the case we were out in the community with information,” he said. “One of the things we stress is that monkeypox is not a sexually-transmitted disease (STD). It’s passed through respiratory droplets and direct contact. It’s not just an LGBT issue. Listen to doctors and health professionals, and be informed.”
Monkeypox presents with flu-like symptoms: fever, chills, headache, tiredness, muscle aches and swelling of the lymph nodes, and progresses to a rash on the face and body. It can last for two to four weeks. Any new or unexplained rash, sores, or other such symptoms should be checked out by a healthcare provider.
In fact, transmission generally requires prolonged, face-to-face contact, direct contact with an active rash, or indirect contact with an active rash through contaminated items, such as clothing. That is why health officials across the board say the risk of exposure remains low.
According to medical information from the United Kingdom, where the first cases arose earlier this year, this outbreak is the first time monkeypox has ever spread far beyond Central and West Africa. CDC guidance shows nearly all of the 5,000 or so confirmed American monkeypox cases across 46 states are in males, and the vast majority reported close, intimate male-to-male contact.
This comes on the heels of another outbreak of bacterial meningococcal disease, which spread among the same population groups in much the same way, through close contact and the breathing and sharing of droplets.
For any related health information, contact the Osceola County Health Department at 407-343-2000 or go online to Osceola.Florida health.gov.
