WAYNE COUNTY, MI – Wayne County health officials confirmed the first MPOX case in the county since 2022.
County health officials are awaiting test results to determine if the case is linked to a new strain responsible for the current outbreak in sub-Saharan Africa.
It is the 19th case reported in Michigan this year.
Mpox or monkeypox is a viral disease that spreads primarily through close contact with infectious rashes, scabs, or bodily fluids. However, the virus does not spread easily from person to person.
Symptoms include a flu-like illness with fever, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue and difficulty breathing. A rash that resembles pimples or blisters then forms on the skin.
Symptoms usually begin within 21 days of infection. The virus is contagious from the moment symptoms begin until the scabs fall off and a fresh layer of skin forms, which usually takes 2 to 4 weeks.
Health officials urged vulnerable people to ensure they have received the two-dose Mpox vaccine. To ensure complete protection, the shots are given four weeks apart.
Anyone who has received only one dose should receive a second dose as soon as possible.
Mpox vaccinations are available free of charge and testing is available for a small fee or free of charge from the Wayne County Public Health Division at 734-727-7101.
