Sussex County, Del.- Delaware announced that there are now six cases of the monkeypox virus in the First State.
The Biden Administration announced a public health emergency as 48 of the 50 states have cases of monkeypox. So you may be asking, what is monkeypox?
According to infectious disease physician Dr. Bill Chasanov, monkeypox is believed to have started before the 1970s, and is "cousins" with smallpox. The diseases are so similar, that smallpox treatment also seems to work for treating monkeypox, though it is not definite at this time.
While COVID-19 pandemic transmits through water droplets leaving the body, the monkeypox virus is not the same. While monkeypox is contagious, it primarily transmits through physical contact such as hugging, kissing or sexual contact, according to Chasanov.
Monkeypox leaves lesions filled with fluid on the body, and that fluid is where the virus is. Other symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches and backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and respiratory symptoms.
But another big difference between the viruses is COVID-19 is far more deadly than monkeypox. Monkeypox very rarely is fatal according to healthcare officials.
There is monkeypox testing available. If you think you have contracted monkeypox, healthcare officials say self-isolation and contacting your medical professional are the right steps to take.