There is a new virus to be concerned about, yet it’s really not so new. We’re talking about monkeypox. In 1958, when the monkeypox virus was first discovered, it was only known to exist in monkeys. In 1970, the first monkeypox case was diagnosed in humans. This diagnosis happened in the Republic of Congo.

Does that sound familiar? A virus jumping from an animal to a human? Yeah, we’re thinking about Covid-19 too. Thankfully, monkeypox is thought to be less contagious than Covid-19.

So far, there have only been a few monkeypox cases in the United States, and in all of those cases, the people who were diagnosed had recently traveled internationally. The most recent monkeypox case was diagnosed in Florida, and that person is currently in isolation. The CDC is currently investigating this case.

According to a Florida health department spokesperson, the risk of getting monkeypox “remains very low to the overall community.” 

Watch the video below to learn more about monkeypox and which countries currently have the highest number of diagnosed monkeypox cases.

According to the CDC, the first symptoms of monkeypox include backache, chills, fatigue, fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes. Anywhere from 1 day to 3 or more days later, the person will notice a rash on their face that spreads to other parts of the body. The illness usually lasts anywhere from two to four weeks before the person makes a full recovery.

Monkeypox can be transmitted from animal to human or human to human contact. Avoid contact with any animal or person who may have monkeypox. If someone in your family has monkeypox, it’s important to help them isolate.

Do you think monkeypox will continue to spread in a similar way to how Covid-19 spread, or do you think the outbreak will be short-lived since it is less contagious?