Riverside County public health officials report first possible case of monkeypox

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Riverside County may have their first probable case of monkeypox after one person tested positive for an orthopoxvirus, public health officials announced Wednesday.

A man under the age of 60, from eastern Riverside County, showed preliminary positive test results for what officials are calling an orthopoxvirus. The man was seen in an outpatient facility, and did not require hospitalization, public health officials said.

His identity was not revealed.

Additional testing will be conducted by the CDC to confirm whether it's indeed monkeypox, said the Riverside County Department of Public Health.

"We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the case to determine the best course of action moving forward," said Dr. Geoffrey Leung, public health officer for Riverside County. "Given that there have been other probable cases in the region it is not surprising that we would have one in Riverside County."

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According to a statement issued by the county Department of Public Health, the patient is "an adult resident" who recently traveled.

Monkeypox is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact and does not spread easily between people without close contact, according to public health officials. Symptoms include a rash that may look like pimples or blisters, and may be accompanied by fever, swollen lymph nodes, or fatigue.

Currently, there are no treatments specifically for monkeypox, but vaccination used to prevent smallpox can be used in some limited situations, health experts say.

For more information about monkeypox, click here.