Tennessee has ten active monkeypox cases

The Center for Disease Control has confirmed there are ten active cases of monkeypox in Tennessee.

There are currently no known cases in Hamilton County according to the Hamilton County Health Department. monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts 2 to 4 weeks.

Hamilton County Health Officer Dr. Stephen Miller said the virus is not fatal.

“The strain that we’re seeing in this country is mostly starting with a flu like illness, swelling of the lymph nodes and then the rash which has been mostly limited to the genitalia. It tends to resolve over a period of one to two weeks and then there’s no more issue. It’s not a recurring illness. Once again, though it can be fatal, The strain we see here in this country, it’s very unlikely, far less than 1%. So if you do have it, it will go away. You will get better but, you do need to make the health department or your local provider aware of the symptoms so they can be tested and in the proper actions can be taken,” said Miller

It’s also possible for people to get monkeypox from infected animals, either by being scratched or bitten by the animal or by preparing or eating meat or using products from an infected animal.

To prevent monkeypox, avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox, wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and avoid contact of clothes or bed linens from that have touched an infected person.