The CDC is monitoring 200 people across 27 states who may have been exposed to monkeypox after a person who traveled from Nigeria to the U.S was recently diagnosed with the rare illness.
The U.S. resident who contracted the virus was hospitalized in Dallas as of July 15. On July 8, the patient traveled from Lagos, Nigeria, to Dallas, with a layover in Atlanta July 9.
In a July 21 statement sent to Becker's, the agency said none of the individuals being tracked are considered high-risk for contracting the virus and that the risk to the general public is low.
"These individuals were on flights with the patient or had known contact with the patient," the CDC said. "The investigation is ongoing and the numbers may change slightly in the days to follow, but at this time no additional cases have been identified."
After it was confirmed a U.S. resident had contracted monkeypox, the CDC issued guidance for clinicians, advising them to consider the virus in patients exhibiting symptoms who were on the same flights or in the same airports as the infected patient. Clinicians should isolate those with a suspected case in a negative pressure room, maintain proper isolation precautions to prevent further spread and contact their state health department or the agency's monkeypox call center, the guidance said.
Monkeypox typically starts with flu-like illness and swelling of the lymph nodes, followed by a widespread rash on the face and body. The infected U.S. patient contracted a strain of the virus commonly seen in parts of West Africa, the CDC said, adding that this strain is fatal in about 1 in 100 people, but can be higher in those with weakened immune systems.