Monkeypox is in Oklahoma, but ‘pretty difficult to get’

It's been three weeks since the second case of monkeypox was reported in Oklahoma, and three days since the first case was confirmed in Arkansas.

While the number of U.S. cases is more than 600, state health officials say there is little risk of a widespread outbreak in Oklahoma, as long as Oklahomans take precautions to limit possible exposure to the disease.

“This virus is actually pretty difficult to get,” says Jolianne Stone, epidemiologist for the Oklahoma State Department of Health. “You have to have either direct physical contact with an individual who has monkeypox, or you have to be within close proximity to a person who has monkeypox for a long period of time.”

Stone explains that monkeypox is a virus, and causes a wide range of symptoms. Typically, individuals who get monkeypox will have a few days of fever, sore lymph nodes and then develop a characteristic rash.

“That rash can last on the body for up to three to four weeks until it crusts over, and then the individual is healed,” she says. “Most people recover from monkeypox with no long-term effects. However, some people who are at a higher risk for severe disease, such as those who have other conditions — diabetes, HIV, some other conditions — they may be at a higher risk for more severe disease and hospitalization with monkeypox.”

Stone says monkeypox is an older virus that is common to certain parts of Africa, as well as occasionally in other countries with individuals who have traveled to Africa.

“We actually know quite a lot about this particular virus,” Stone says. “This is something we do have an understanding about — it's not a new virus. We're still learning more about the outbreak everyday, but certainly we have public health measures that we can implement in this particular situation.”

As the state's top epidemiologist, Stone searches for the cause of diseases, identifies people who are at risk, determines how to control or stop the spread or prevent it from happening again.

“We at the state health department are very, very closely monitoring not only monkeypox, but any other potential diseases that might be out there, and we are certainly trying to get information out to individuals who might be at high risk of disease,” Stone says. “What we know about this particular outbreak of monkeypox is that it's really going to be through direct contact with individuals. So we would encourage those individuals who think they may have been exposed or who may have monkeypox to certainly see their healthcare provider.

“We have public health measures that have been put in place and that we can put in place to prevent others from being infected. There is a vaccine that is available that we can provide to individuals who are at highest risk for developing disease after having been in contact with somebody with monkeypox.”

Stone says the monkeypox virus is from a different family than chickenpox. Monkeypox is in the same family as cowpox and smallpox, and is spread differently than chickenpox. Chickenpox can be spread through the air, while monkeypox is contracted only through close, direct physical contact with someone with the virus.

“Individuals that do have monkeypox or who get infected with monkeypox likely have longer term immunity. Reinfection with monkeypox is rare,” she says. “Some people have what they call recurrent infection, which means you can have kind of another episode later on, but reinfection is typically rare, sorta like chickenpox.”

Due to privacy issues, Stone cannot reveal specifically where the state's two confirmed cases of monkeypox are, but says they are in central Oklahoma. Arkansas officials also decline to release the location of the lone confirmed case in that state.

“Even though we've only had two cases in Oklahoma, there are multiple cases that have occurred around the United States, and the number does keep increasing. There's also been multiple cases that have occurred around the world. So really the message remains the same: Anybody could potentially contract monkeypox if they had direct physical contact with somebody with monkeypox,” Stone says.

“This virus is circulating, and so if you or a loved one have had contact with known or suspected monkeypox and you have questions or you think you may have monkeypox, the best thing to do is to reach to your healthcare provider, and they can certainly work with the health department on whether or not you need to be tested for monkeypox.

“Certainly diseases can develop from anywhere. We just have to be diligent in our normal daily practice, things like hand washing, things like covering your cough, staying home when you're sick and refraining from being around people who are ill,” Stone says. “That's going to be the best way that we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from any type of disease, no matter where they come from.”

Although widely perceived as new to the global landscape, the first U.S. cases of the virus actually occurred in June 2003 among dozens of people who became infected by contact with pet prairie dogs that had contact with imported African rodents.

The monkeypox virus usually occurs in central and western Africa in animals such as monkeys, squirrels and rats. Monkeypox may spread to people when they are bitten by or touch the blood, other body fluids or rash of an animal infected with monkeypox. Transmission of monkeypox from one person to another occurs through very close contact or by touching body fluids of a person with monkeypox. Objects, such as bedding or clothing, contaminated with the virus may also spread monkeypox.

The Center for Disease Control reports daily the number of confirmed cases in the U.S. The latest numbers for nearby states show three cases in Missouri and no cases in Kansas.