Infectious disease expert says no need to panic over Louisville monkeypox case

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Many are concerned after Kentucky's first suspected case of monkeypox was found in a Jefferson County resident last week -- but infectious disease specialists say there's no need for panic.

"It's usually obtained by physical, intimate contact -- prolonged intimate contact -- or it can be transmitted through scratches or bites from an infected animal or person," explained Dr. Mark Burns, an infectious disease specialist for UofL Health. "In addition, it can come from an inanimate object that's infected -- in other words, bedding or clothing."

Symptoms of monkeypox include a flu-like illness, a rash and lesions.

So far, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it's had more than 244 probable or confirmed cases in the U.S. in 26 states, including the one case in Kentucky and two in Indiana.

Burns says people should be concerned, but not panicked.

"The risk of transmission in the general public is primarily low, and one other piece of good news: it's not respiratory transmitted not like SARS COVID-19, so this is primarily transmitted through prolonged contact," he said.

Dr. Burns says if a person tests positive through a state lab, the results are then sent to the CDC for confirmation. During that time, the patient is treated as a potentially positive case and contact tracing is completed.