FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – Public health officials announced Friday that the first likely case of monkeypox in Kentucky has been identified.
The positive patient is a resident of Jefferson County. Due to privacy issues, no more information about the patient will be published. The patient remains isolated and health officials are working to identify anyone with whom the patient has had close contact while he was infectious.
Initial testing was completed at the Kentucky Department of Public Health.
“Identifying the first case of monkeypox in Kentucky is troubling, but not surprising,” said Dr. Steven Stack, KY’s public health commissioner. “Fortunately, the risk to the general public remains low. We continue to work closely with the CDC and our local health department and health partners to contain the spread of this virus.”
On June 23, the CDC reported that 173 cases of monkeypox had been identified in 24 U.S. states.
Get the WKYT News app on ROKU, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire. (WKYT)
Copyright 2022 WKYT. All rights reserved.