The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) today announced two cases of monkeypox in two adult men who had close contact with one another. Initial testing was completed late Saturday at the State Public Health Laboratory in Jamaica Plain; confirmatory testing will be done at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Neither case reports a known link to the first case identified in Massachusetts. The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) will lead the case investigations and work with DPH, the patients, and their healthcare providers to identify individuals who may have been in contact with the patients while they were infectious. The cases are currently isolating to prevent spread to others.
Current data from CDC indicates that there have been 49 cases of monkeypox virus this year in US residents; this includes the first identified case in MA which was confirmed on May 18, 2022. There have been no deaths in the US or globally related to this outbreak and patients generally recover fully in 2-4 weeks. Although many of the early cases were associated with international travel, recent cases are not.
Gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men make up a large proportion of the cases identified to date.
However, anyone who has been in close contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.
While the virus does not spread easily between people, people can spread the infection once they develop symptoms.
Transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids and monkeypox sores, by touching items that have been contaminated with fluids or sores (clothing, bedding, etc.), or less commonly, through respiratory droplets following prolonged face-to-face contact.
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