Summit County, UTAH (August 9, 2022)—The Summit County Health Department received notification of the first confirmed monkeypox case in a Summit County resident.
“Summit County Health Department staff are prepared to respond to additional cases in our county as needed,” Summit County Health Director, Dr. Phil Bondurant said. “While transmission of monkeypox appears to be low in our community at this time, we encourage residents to understand the symptoms and risk factors associated with this virus.”
Unlike COVID-19, the current monkeypox strain does not spread easily and is not an airborne virus. Monkeypox is primarily transmitted by direct, skin-to-skin contact with someone who has a monkeypox rash. At this time, those at the greatest risk of contracting the disease are men having sex with men in high-risk situations with multiple partners. However, all individuals having close, intimate, or sexual contact with multiple partners in a short period of time have an increased risk of contracting monkeypox.
Painful blisters are the most common symptom of monkeypox. Most people in the current outbreak have not required medical treatment, though severe infection is possible.
The monkeypox vaccine is available through the Summit County Health Department for individuals who have been directly exposed to monkeypox or are at very high risk to contract the virus. The vaccine can only be given to individuals who do not currently have symptoms related to monkeypox, COVID-19, or influenza, and qualify for vaccination under the terms set by the Centers for Disease Control and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services.
Learn more about monkeypox at www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox.