Arizona reports first probable monkeypox case

PHOENIX — Arizona’s first probable monkeypox case has been identified in Maricopa County, state health officials announced Tuesday.

Testing at the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory returned a presumptive positive result and confirmatory testing is underway at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, officials said.

The case involves a man in his late 30s who is currently in isolation and recovering, officials said.

Monkeypox is a viral illness that primarily spreads through skin-to-skin contact, although it can also spread through respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, according to medical experts, .

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It is endemic in some countries but not the United States. However, several countries including the United States have seen cases in recent weeks.

It is called monkeypox because it was first identified in laboratory monkeys.

Experts said monkeypox typically starts with a fever, which may be accompanied by headache, muscle aches, a back ache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion.

They said most patients with monkeypox fully recover from the virus without treatment.