The Indiana Department of Health has reported a small number of confirmed cases of monkeypox. This page serves to educate our residents of Elkhart County about this virus. With proper education and precautions, we can keep any possible infection rates down and keep all of us safe.
The information below is from the CDC website:
"Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus in the family Poxviridae. The Orthopoxvirus genus also includes variola virus (which causes smallpox), vaccinia virus (used in the smallpox vaccine), and cowpox virus. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox.
Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when two outbreaks of a pox-like disease occurred in colonies of monkeys kept for research. Despite being named “monkeypox”, the source of the disease remains unknown. However, African rodents and non-human primates (like monkeys) may harbor the virus and infect people.
The first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970. Since then, monkeypox has been reported in people in several other central and western African countries. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, nearly all monkeypox cases in people outside of Africa were linked to international travel to countries where the disease commonly occurs, or through imported animals."
-July 8, 2022 from https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/about.html
Click the button below to go the Indiana Department of Health's Monkeypox information page. Clicking on the button will open a new browser tab.
The following information has been provided by the Indiana Department of Health and Elkhart County Health Department to inform residents of this emerging virus and safety precautions they can take to limit any potential spread.
Click on the buttons below to view and download more information:
The following buttons are resources for healthcare providers regarding the monkeypox virus. Click on the buttons below to view the information.