US capital reports first monkeypox case

WASHINGTON

The US capital Washington, D.C. on Sunday reported its first case of monkeypox, a viral illness that can spread through direct contact with bodily fluids or monkeypox lesions.

The case was confirmed Saturday in a resident who recently traveled to Europe, said the health authority, DC Health.

"The collected samples have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for further testing and confirmation of the Monkeypox virus," the body said in a statement.

The patient is currently isolating and does not pose a risk to the public, said the health authority.

"DC Health is identifying and monitoring close contacts. However, at this time, no additional cases have been identified in the District," said the statement.

On Friday, the CDC said the number of monkeypox cases had more than doubled over the past week to 20 across 11 states.

Monkeypox usually begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling in the lymph nodes before a rash begins to form on the face and body. Symptoms can take up to 21 days to appear after exposure.

Hundreds of cases have been detected worldwide since cases were first detected in Europe and the US last month. The virus is endemic to western and central Africa.

The US currently has two vaccines to fight the virus in its national stockpile, and the CDC has begun distributing them to states.