University of Delaware reports first case of monkeypox – NBC10 in Philadelphia

The first case of monkeypox has been identified at the University of Delaware.

The case was discovered Wednesday and involves an employee who is currently in isolation and recovering at home, according to a university press release. The school said it sent an email to faculty, staff and students about the virus on campus.

The fall semester at the university begins on August 30, and students move in next weekend. The school says that there is about 23,600 enrolled students.

university politicians show that students diagnosed with monkeypox should self-isolate “until they become contagious and all scabs/lesions have cleared and new skin has grown (which may take 2-4 weeks).”

Students must return home during quarantine, but are encouraged to contact their RA if they cannot.

As of August 24, 19 cases of monkeypox have been confirmed in Delaware. according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, the total number of infections in the US was 16,603.

Delaware offers vaccines to those who have been exposed to the virus or are at high risk of exposure. You can sign up for vaccination through Beebe Healthcare or through Delaware Health Department clinics. People are asked to call 866-408-1899 for a screening evaluation through DPH.

Monkeypox is spread through “close, personal, often skin-to-skin” contact, including touching objects, fabrics and surfaces shared by a person infected with the virus, According to the Center for Disease Control. The virus manifests itself as a rash and causes symptoms such as fever, chills, enlarged lymph nodes and muscle pain. Many developed very painful pimple-like bumps during the epidemic.

The CDC has stated that monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection and that its spread through the genital tract is a byproduct of skin-to-skin contact that occurs during intercourse. however, new research suggests that sex between men can cause infections, especially through seminal fluids exchanged during oral and anal intercourse.

About 98% of cases in the US are men and about 93% are men who have recently reported sexual contact with other men. However, the CDC warns that the virus can also infect women and can be spread through vaginal contact, and that anyone can be infected, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

One of the steps that officials are proposing to prevent the spread of the virus is to temporarily limit the number of sexual partners. The CDC also recommends disinfecting surfaces.

No deaths from monkeypox have been reported in the United States