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According to health officials, a man in Iowa is infected with the first likely case of smallpox in the state.
The man was probably infected during a recent international trip and is isolating himself, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.
Officials are tracking contacts to keep track of possible exposure to other people.
The virus originates in wild animals, but is occasionally transmitted to humans, and most cases have been confined to central and West Africa.
WHO CHANGES THE MONKEYPOX VIRUS AFTER THE CONCERN OF THE VOICE OF SCIENTISTS WHICH IS “DISCRIMINATORY AND STIGMATIZING”
This graph from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a patient’s hand showing symptoms of one of the first known cases of monkeypox virus. (Courtesy of CDC / Getty Images)
Recent cases of monkeypox have traveled far beyond Africa and are being reported in the UK, Spain, Italy, the United States and more.
Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, severe headache, back pain, muscle aches, lack of energy, and skin rash, according to the World Health Organization.
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A health worker prepares a syringe at a monkeypox vaccination clinic run by the CIUSSS public health authorities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on June 6, 2022. (REUTERS / Christinne Muschi)
On June 28, U.S. health officials expanded the guidelines for people who should be vaccinated against monkeypox to include men who recently had sex with other men at parties.
In the United States, about 460 cases of smallpox have been reported in 32 states.
The World Health Organization said on June 27 that the current outbreak of smallpox is “moderate” and also said the number of cases “is likely to be underestimated.”
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“Overall risk is rated as moderate to [the] “Globally, given that this is the first time that cases and groups have been reported simultaneously in five WHO Regions,” the WHO said. “At the regional level, the risk is considered high in the European Region due to its report of a widespread geographical distribution. Outbreak involving several recently affected countries, as well as a somewhat atypical clinical presentation of cases. In other Regions of the WHO, the risk is considered moderate given the epidemiological patterns, the possible risk of importing cases and the capabilities to detect cases and respond to the outbreak. ”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Adam Sabes is a writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Adam.Sabes@fox.com and Twitter @ asabes10.