HAYS COUNTY, Texas — Following Travis County, Hays County is now the second Austin-area county to confirm cases of monkeypox.
The Hays County Local Health Department (HCLHD) reported the confirmation of its first two cases on Friday. Not much information is being released to protect the patients' identities, but health officials said they are working to identify direct contacts.
As of Aug. 11, Travis County is reporting nine confirmed cases and 70 presumptive cases. Williamson County is reporting seven presumptive cases and zero confirmed cases as of Aug. 10.
Meanwhile, there have been a total of 11,177 cases reported across the nation. In Texas alone, there have been 815. Totals are being updated on the CDC's website.
"Monkeypox transmission occurs through close physical contact with someone who has monkeypox, including contact with objects contaminated with the virus from contact with an infected person," Hays County leaders said in a press release Friday. "Monkeypox is primarily spread through contact with infectious sores, scabs or bodily fluids. The virus can spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact. According to the CDC, anyone can contract monkeypox, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation."
Symptoms of the virus include a rash/lesions, fever, intense headache, muscle aches, exhaustion and swollen lymph nodes. Symptoms usually develop one to two weeks after infection.
"The HCLHD has received a limited supply of the JYNNEOS vaccine, which can be administered to individuals on a case-by-case basis," officials said. "HCLHD is working collaboratively with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), healthcare providers and other local health departments to identify high-risk contacts of confirmed or probable monkeypox cases. The county’s health department can evaluate on a case-by-case basis any individual that meets high-risk criteria and may benefit from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent disease occurrence."
For more information on monkeypox in Hays County, click here.
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