1st monkeypox case confirmed in Nye County as it awaits vaccine

Health officials have confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Nye County.

No details were provided about the person who is infected.

Nye County is working to get designated doses of the monkeypox vaccination, but it has not received the first shipment, Nye County Sheriff’s Office Captain David Boruchwitz stated in an email.

Monkeypox is a viral disease similar to smallpox and is transmitted most often by skin-to-skin contact. While rarely fatal, monkeypox can cause painful lesions on the face and body that take two to four weeks to heal.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people with monkeypox to isolate at home until the scabs fall off and a new layer of skin has formed.

Monkeypox is transmitted to humans through close contact with an infected person or animal. The virus can spread through contact with infected lesions, bodily fluids, respiratory droplets and contaminated materials, such as towels and bed sheets.

Anyone can get monkeypox regardless of age, gender or sexuality.

On Friday, the Clark County School District it was notified by the Southern Nevada Health District of a confirmed case at Palo Verde High School.

Last week, the Southern Nevada Health District said that it had received nearly 3,000 additional doses of the monkeypox vaccine. The health district said it knew of 24 monkeypox cases in Clark County.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter.