First monkeypox case reported in Riverside County

The first suspected monkeypox case in Riverside County has now been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a county spokesperson said Wednesday.

Riverside University Health System spokesperson Jose Arballo said Wednesday that a tissue sample of the first probable case was sent to the CDC, which confirmed the case as positive.

The individual was identified only as a 60-year-old eastern county man.  He was undergoing treatment in an outpatient setting and did not require hospitalization, according to the Department of Public Health.

A total of 111 monkeypox cases have been confirmed in California -- the highest of any state -- while nationwide, the aggregate count is at 560, according to the latest CDC data.

As of this week, there were 30 known cases of monkeypox in neighboring Los Angeles County and suspected cases in San Diego County.

Federal health officials have categorized the general health threat from monkeypox as low.

It's generally spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact, resulting from infectious rashes and scabs, though respiratory secretions and bodily fluids exchanged during extended physical episodes, such as sexual intercourse, can also lead to transmission, according to the CDC.

Symptoms include fresh pimples, blisters, rashes, fever and fatigue, officials said. There is no specific treatment. People who have been infected with smallpox, or have been vaccinated for it, may have immunity to monkeypox, according to published reports.

People with symptoms are urged to visit a medical provider, cover the rash area with clothing, wear a mask and avoid close or skin-to-skin contact with others.

The CDC particularly recommends those steps for people who recently traveled to an area where monkeypox cases have been reported, or who have had contact with a confirmed or suspected monkeypox cases.