First probable case of monkeypox reported in Illinois

CHICAGO - The first probable case of monkeypox has been reported in Illinois, according to local health officials.

Officials said a Chicago man who recently traveled to Europe tested positive for the virus.

Contact tracing is being done to determine who may have been in contact with the man while he was infectious, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

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The man did not require hospitalization and is isolating at home in good condition, officials said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is working to confirm the diagnosis.

Monkeypox is caused by a virus that is in the same genus of viruses that causes smallpox, according to the CDC. The virus was first discovered in colonies of lab monkeys in 1958.

Symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and a noticeable rash.

Anyone can get monkeypox, but a number of cases involve gay and bisexual men, according to the CDC.

Dr. Anu Hazra of Howard Brown Health has been following the outbreak.

"It’s really important for us to approach this in a non-stigma way and realize the virus is out there," he said.

From exposure to the onset of sickness can occur within one to two weeks.

CDC officials say anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox should talk to their healthcare provider immediately.

Per the CDC, 19 cases are confirmed in the US and more than 550 cases are in 30 countries, according to the World Health Organization. So far, no deaths have been reported.

"Knowledge empowers people. We wanted to make people aware what’s really going on," Hazra said.