As of July 11, 2022 ... there are 30 Cases of Monkeypox in the State of Georgia

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. The virus is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox, but unrelated to chickenpox. 

Symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder; and it is rarely fatal.

Symptoms of monkeypox can 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.

The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks. Sometimes, people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash.

How It Spreads

Monkeypox spreads in different ways. The virus can spread from person-to-person through:

• direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids
• respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex (unknown if it is spread through vaginal fluids or semen)
• touching items (such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids
• pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta

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.

Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others.

The first case for Georgia in 2022 appears to have come from metro Atlanta. This time last year, forty-three (43) persons were being monitored in Georgia for related symptoms.