WASHINGTON — Georgetown University sent a letter out to the campus community on Wednesday stating that a Georgetown community member has been diagnosed with monkeypox.
The university said that the person diagnosed with the illness lives off-campus near the Main Campus. Currently, the person is isolated and is receiving support and resources.
Anyone who had been in recent contact with the diagnosed individual has already been contacted, according to the university. the DC Health and the University's public health team are monitoring the situation and are working together.
This news comes the same day as three additional cases were diagnosed in Maryland. A press release from Maryland's Department of Health states that those who were diagnosed are in isolation as well and are recovering in their homes.
Human monkeypox, according to officials is in the same family as smallpox but monkeypox causes a milder infection. The illness can be spread in multiple ways such as through body fluids, contaminated materials (clothing/linens), direct skin contact with skin lesions and large respiratory droplets.
Symptoms from the infection can include fever, body aches, chills, exhaustion, swelling of the lymph nodes and a rash that can start on the face and later spreads to the rest of the body. Additionally, symptoms of a rash can look like pimples or blisters on the face, inside the mouth and on hands, feet, genitals or anus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC adds that some people can get a rash first that is later accompanied by other symptoms or some people just develop the rash.
The CDC says there are not any treatments for specifically for monkeypox, but because monkeypox is in the same family as smallpox, the CDC adds that antiviral drugs and vaccines were developed to protect people from smallpox could be used in order to prevent or treat monkeypox.