First potential case of monkeypox confirmed in Georgia, DPH says

ATLANTA, Ga. (CBS46) - Georgia Department of Public Health officials have confirmed the first potential case of monkeypox in the state.

It comes less than a month after the first confirmed U.S. case of monkeypox in 2022 was reported out of Massachusetts.

The Georgia patient is a male resident from Metro Atlanta and has a history of international travel.

Monkeypox, a member of the Orthopoxvirus genus, typically begins with a flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes, followed by a rash on the face and body.

The virus comes from the same family of viruses as smallpox. Most people recover from monkeypox within weeks, but the disease is fatal for up to 1 in 10 people, according to the World Health Organization.

In Africa, people have been reportedly infected through rodent and small animal bites, and ongoing investigations out of Europe suggest the virus can spread through sexual activity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is doing confirmatory testing to determine if this Georgia case is, in fact, the monkeypox virus.

DPH is conducting contact tracing and will continue to monitor the man.