Florida health officials investigating 'presumptive' monkeypox case


Health officials in Florida announced Sunday they are investigating a "presumptive" monkeypox case.
This is the third possible case of monkeypox, a rare virus that spreads via close contact with an infected individual, in the United States. The Florida Department of Health in Broward County said this case appears to be related to international travel. The first case was reported in a Massachusetts man who tested positive for monkeypox after visiting Canada.
Worldwide, there are more than 190 confirmed or suspected cases of monkeypox in 16 countries where the disease typically isn't found, ABC News reports. Since a patient in the United Kingdom tested positive for the virus on May 7 after traveling to Nigeria, several cases have been detected around the globe. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told CNN on Thursday that "at this time, we don't want people to worry. These numbers are still small; we want them to be aware of symptoms, and if they have any concerns to reach out to their doctor."
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The first symptoms usually include fever, chills, exhaustion, headache, and muscle weakness, followed by swollen lymph nodes.
President Biden told reporters on Sunday that the monkeypox cases are something "to be concerned about," and if the virus spreads "it would be consequential." National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters the U.S. has a supply of vaccines that can be deployed to treat monkeypox.
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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
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