Harris County reported Texas’ first presumed case of monkeypox in a child under 2 years old last week.
In a press conference on August 16, Judge Lina Hidalgo discussed the case, reaffirming that anyone can get the virus, even though this case is very rare. The child is expected to recover fully.
Harris County and City of Houston to Provide Monkeypox Update on Vaccination Efforts https://t.co/PfpWmHi7Ym
— Office of Judge Lina Hidalgo (@HarrisCoJudge) August 16, 2022
It is still unclear from whom the child could have contracted the infection, but the county is working with the family to contact trace. The county is offering the vaccine to all who had direct contact with the child, including other children.
Hidalgo asked parents to be vigilant about any potential symptoms of monkeypox in their kids, primarily unusual rashes or sores. The disease spreads through direct contact with the skin or saliva of an infected person and often results in a rash.
As of Wednesday, August 24, Harris County recorded 455 cases, and Dallas County trailed closely behind with 444 cases. Texas has reported 1,340 cases total.
Across the United States and Europe, “mounting evidence” shows that “sexual transmission is the most common mode of transmission,” according to Dr. Lao-Tzu Allan-Blitz, a resident physician in global health at Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Around 98% of those infected in the U.S. are male, and the majority of those infected have been between the ages of 18 and 40. In Texas, there have only been five cases involving someone under the age of 18.