United States Confirms 9th Pediatric Case of Monkeypox as National Total Reaches 13,571

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The United States has confirmed its ninth pediatric case of monkeypox as total number of national cases hits 13,571.

On Wednesday, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) confirmed that a child in the state tested positive for the virus and was linked to a confirmed case in an adult. Health officials are not disclosing the child's sex, age, county of residence or how the child is connected to the previously diagnosed case.

"We have a known connection to a previously diagnosed case," Dr. Dean Sidelinger, OHA health officer and state epidemiologist, said in a release. "This child did not get the virus at school, child care or another community setting."

The child tested positive on Aug. 11 and the local public health authority has been conducting a case investigation and contact tracing to determine other exposures.

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As health officials conduct contact tracing, they are providing information on monkeypox and how to prevent spreading it.

Monkeypox spreads primarily through skin-to-skin contact, direct contact with bodily fluids or lesions, and can also be transmitted by respiratory droplets. While that might sound familiar to COVID-19, monkeypox does not spread as easily as the coronavirus.

"Monkeypox is not COVID-19. This virus is not easily spread unless you have that prolonged, close, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person," Sidelinger said.

OHA recommends people who test positive for monkeypox or who are awaiting test results isolate at home. Additionally, people who suspect they have monkeypox should contact their health care provider to let them know before going in to be seen.

As of Wednesday, there are 116 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Oregon and 13,571 cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Global cases of the virus have reached 39,434 across 94 countries.