FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 15, 2022

LAS VEGAS — The Southern Nevada Health District is reporting a presumptive positive case of monkeypox in a Clark County resident with recent domestic travel history. The Health District is coordinating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to perform confirmatory testing.

The individual is a male in his 20s that did not require hospitalization and is isolating at home. The Health District is investigating and conducting contact tracing related to this case, and no additional cases have been identified at this time. Monkeypox spreads from person to person through close physical contact with infectious monkeypox sores, bodily fluids, contact with objects or fabrics that have been used by someone who has monkeypox, sexual contact, or prolonged face-to-face contact.

Monkeypox is a rare disease that causes symptoms beginning with fever, headache, muscle aches, and swollen lymph nodes followed by development of a rash. The incubation period is usually between seven to 14 days but can range from five to 21 days. The characteristic rash often begins on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body including genitalia. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks. Most people who contract monkeypox will have mild illness. People who are immunocompromised, young children, people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and those with certain skin conditions may be more at risk for severe illness. People who test positive for monkeypox should follow the treatment and prevention recommendations of their health care provider and the Health District.

Based upon limited information, overall risk of monkeypox is low in the U.S.  People with unknown rashes or lesions should contact their health care provider for an assessment and avoid sex or being intimate during that time. Those at risk for monkeypox include people who recently traveled to other countries, had close contact with someone who has monkeypox in a social network, including meeting partners through online websites, digital applications or social events where monkeypox infections have been reported.

Recommendations for those who may have had contact with monkeypox virus are available on the CDC’s Exposure Risk Assessment and Public Health Recommendations page.

The Southern Nevada Health District serves as the local public health authority for Clark County, Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas, Mesquite and North Las Vegas. The agency safeguards the public health of the community’s residents and visitors through innovative programs, regulations, and initiatives focused on protecting and promoting their health and well-being. More information about the Health District, its programs, services, and the regulatory oversight it provides is available at www.SNHD.info. Follow the Health District on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.