Massachusetts officials on Wednesday reported a rare case of monkeypox in a man who recently traveled to Canada, and health officials are looking into whether it is connected to small outbreaks in Europe, the Guardian reported.
Monkeypox is typically limited to Africa, and rare cases in the US and elsewhere are usually linked to travel there. A small number of confirmed or suspected cases have been reported this month in the United Kingdom, Portugal and Spain.
Health officials in the US said they are in contact with officials in the UK and Canada as part of the investigation. But “at this point in time, we don’t have any information that links the Massachusetts case to cases in the UK,” said Jennifer McQuiston of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Though it’s the only US case the CDC is aware of, “I do think we are preparing for the possibility of more cases,” she said.
The US case poses no risk to the public, and the Massachusetts resident is hospitalized but in good condition, officials said.
The man traveled to Canada at the end of April to meet friends and returned in early May, McQuiston said. A CDC statement said he used private transportation.
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