Colorado lab tabs state’s 1st presumptive monkeypox case

DENVER (AP) — A man who recently traveled to Canada may have the first confirmed case of the monkeypox virus in Colorado, state health officials said Thursday.

A lab run by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment identified the presumptive case and is awaiting confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. State health officials say the risk to the public remains low, and the man is recovering in isolation at home.

Monkeypox often starts with a fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion, according to health officials. A rash could develop within one to three days after the onset of fever, often beginning on the face and spreading to other parts of the body. Monkeypox can spread when there is close contact with someone already infected with the virus.

Most people recover within about two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized, although monkeypox can be fatal for up to 6% of cases.

Two vaccines are available to prevent the virus, and health officials in Colorado have requested doses from the federal government.