First confirmed case of pediatric monkeypox in Washington state

By Adam Smith August 22, 2022 7:26 am

KGMIFILE - This 2003 electron microscope image made available by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows mature, oval-shaped monkeypox virions, left, and spherical immature virions, right, obtained from a sample of human skin associated with the 2003 prairie dog outbreak. Africa’s public health agency says it doesn’t know how many of the continent's reported monkeypox cases this year are in men who have sex with men, and it warned Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022 against “any stigmatization” that might delay case reporting and affect the outbreak response. (Cynthia S. Goldsmith, Russell Regner/CDC via AP, File)

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The state Health Department says the first case of pediatric monkey pox has been confirmed in Washington.

The department says a 17-year-old has tested positive for the disease, but isn’t releasing the location because of privacy concerns.

So far, there have been 333 cases confirmed in the state, with one here in Whatcom County.

Washington state has a limited supply of vaccine for the disease.

According to the Washington State Department of Health, monkeypox can be spread by close, personal contact with someone who’s infected, or by contact with virus-contaminated objects such as bedding or clothing.