July 21, 2022. Reno/Sparks, Nev. The Washoe County Health District (WCHD) is reporting the first probable case of monkeypox in Washoe County – a male in his 20s with recent domestic travel. The case is isolating at home and does not require hospitalization.

The Nevada State Public Health Laboratory sent the specimens of the probable case to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for confirmation of monkeypox. WCHD has investigated and conducted contact tracing. No additional cases have been identified and no other information is available.

“We would advise people to be mindful of the symptoms of monkeypox and contact your medical provider if you develop those symptoms,” said Kevin Dick, District Health Officer in Washoe County. “Our staff is working diligently to prevent future transmission but it’s up to all of us to be aware of monkeypox and take steps to prevent contracting it.”

According to the CDC, monkeypox is rare and spreads from person to person through close physical contact. Monkeypox is in the same family as smallpox and is rarely fatal.

Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches and backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion
• A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appears on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.

Prevention

According to the CDC, residents should take the following steps to prevent monkeypox:

• Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
  • Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
  • Do not kiss, hug, cuddle or have sex with someone with monkeypox.
  • Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.

• Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Monkeypox vaccines

The monkeypox vaccine is extremely limited and currently unavailable to the general public in Washoe County. The Health District is working with state and federal partners to obtain additional vaccines. Currently, vaccines are only available for confirmed contacts to a known case and lab personnel who handle specimens.

Monkeypox testing

If you think you have monkeypox, contact your primary care physician or other medical provider to obtain testing. Notify the provider ahead of time before entering the physical office.

According to the CDC, some monkeypox cases were reported among people who share a living space with an infected person and men who have sex with men. See more information related to monkeypox and the risks to people who are sexually active. General monkeypox Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) can be found here.

The Washoe County Health District is nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board and has jurisdiction over all public health matters in Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County through the policy-making Washoe County District Board of Health. The District consists of five divisions: Administrative Health Services, Air Quality Management, Community and Clinical Health Services, Environmental Health Services and Epidemiology & Public Health Preparedness. More info can be found here.