August 23, 2022 |
Wyoming is reporting the first known case of monkeypox in the state.
An adult male from Laramie County tested positive for the virus last week. Public health representatives are following up with people who may have had direct contact with the man.
Because monkeypox spreads through close, intimate contact, Dr. Alexia Harrist said in a statement that state authorities “do not believe the risk for the virus is now a higher concern for the local community or most people in Wyoming.”
Monkeypox does not spread like influenza or COVID-19.
So unless you are sex worker or participate in a homosexual, transgender or nonbinary lifestyle that includes random, anonymous sex with multiple partners who are male, or male assigned at birth, you are not generally at risk. That’s straight from the Wyoming Department of Health.
Monkeypox vaccine doses are available in Wyoming through the federal government at no cost. Administrative fees may be charged.
Early this year, the World Health Organization downplayed the connection between monkeypox and homosexual lifestyles. Medical statistics now offer irrefutable evidence about how the outbreak is spreading, though. The WHO’s effort to rebrand Monkeypox with a less stigmatizing name also proved futile.
Monkeypox is characterized by a rash or other symptoms, such as fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and tiredness. Monkeypox is rarely fatal but is unpleasant and painful. It can also cause serious illness in some people.
Eligible individuals interested in vaccination appointments should contact the public health office in your area.
The Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department is offering monkeypox vaccines every Tuesday and Friday, the agency said Monday in a Facebook post.
