Monkeypox cases grow to 10 in Tarrant County

Ten cases of monkeypox have now been reported in Tarrant County, according to the county’s public health department.

Tarrant County reported its first case two weeks ago.

A second case in mid-July was the result of local transmission, with the patient having no history of travel during the infection time.

Both of those cases were adult men, but the department did not provide details about the more recent cases.

Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headaches, muscle aches, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes during the first week or two after infection. A rash that causes lesions typically occurs after people experience a fever.

Monkeypox spreads through contact with another person’s bodily fluids, monkeypox sores or shared items that have been contaminated with fluids or monkeypox sores.

While data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that men who have sex with other men make up a large proportion of cases, anyone is susceptible to contracting the virus.

Currently, the general public is not considered at risk, the health department said.

As of July 20, Dallas County has reported 52 cases.

Nearly 3,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States, including 107 in Texas, according to the CDC.