Traveler hospitalized in Dallas with case of human monkeypox, CDC says
CDC ABC7
DALLAS, Texas — A traveler is hospitalized in Dallas with a case of human monkeypox after a recent visit to Nigeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The traveler, who was not identified, took a flight to the U.S. from Lagos, Nigeria, on July 8. He or she landed in Atlanta the next day, according to the CDC. From there, the traveler reportedly boarded a flight from Atlanta to Dallas.
The CDC said everyone on those two flights who may have been in contact with the traveler is being contacted with the help of the airline, state and local health officials.
“Travelers on these flights were required to wear masks, as well as in the U.S. airports due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, it’s believed the risk of spread of monkeypox via respiratory droplets to others on the planes and in the airports is low,” said the CDC in a statement.
Monkeypox is in the same family of viruses as smallpox but causes a milder infection. The CDC says it’s a rare but potentially serious viral illness that typically starts with a flu-like sickness and swelling of the lymph nodes.
It progresses to a rash on the face and body. Most infections last two to four weeks.
