A traveler is hospitalized in Dallas with a case of human monkeypox following a recent visit to Nigeria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Traveler hospitalized in Dallas with a case of human simian smallpox
In a statement issued Friday, the CDC said the case was confirmed by federal and state health officials on Thursday. The traveler, who was not identified, took a flight to the United States from Lagos, Nigeria, on July 8.
He landed in Atlanta the next day, according to the CDC. From there, the traveler reportedly boarded a flight from Atlanta to Dallas.
Travelers on these flights were required to wear masks, as they were at U.S. airports because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Monkeypox belongs to the same family of viruses as smallpox, but causes a milder infection.
The CDC says it is a rare but potentially serious viral illness that usually begins with a flu-like illness and swollen lymph nodes.
It progresses to a rash on the face and body. In this case, CDC says laboratory tests showed that the traveler is infected with a strain of monkeypox most commonly seen in parts of West Africa, including Nigeria.
This case is not related to any of the previous cases, according to the CDC. Infections with this strain of monkeypox can be fatal in about 1 in 100 people.
However, rates may be higher in people with weakened immune systems.
Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958, when two outbreaks of a smallpox-like disease appeared in monkey colonies.
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