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An active-duty service member has become the first known case of monkeypox reported by the U.S. military this year.
The service member, who has not been publicly identified, tested positive while stationed in Germany, the military said on Friday. Military leaders have notified German authorities and are complying with the country’s regulations regarding quarantine and treatment options, officials said.
HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE GLOBAL MONKEYPOX OUTBREAK
“We can confirm that a duty service member from the Stuttgart military community recently tested positive for monkeypox,” said Navy Capt. William Speaks, a representative for the U.S. European Command, in a statement. “The individual was seen and treated at the Stuttgart Army Health clinic and is currently in isolation recovering in their quarters on-base.”
Military officials are conducting contact tracing to prevent an outbreak among service members who interacted with the patient. However, public health experts have determined risk of transmission is low. The service member tested positive for the West African strain that is “generally mild, and human-to-human transmission is limited,” Speaks said.
At least 45 people in the United States have tested positive for monkeypox in 15 states and Washington, D.C., this year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The disease typically spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person, and most cases have been reported in men who have sex with men.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The U.S. has ordered 500,000 more monkeypox vaccine doses to be shipped nationwide in response to the outbreak, marking the largest order made this year. The new shipment will significantly increase the country’s monkeypox vaccine stockpiles, which are estimated to hold 70,000 doses.
Monkeypox does not necessarily require nationwide vaccination, according to health officials who have nonetheless encouraged healthcare workers and others with a high risk of exposure to get the vaccine.
