Gary officials confirm Indiana's second monkeypox case

GARY — The city of Gary is home to the second confirmed case of monkeypox in the state of Indiana.

According to Gary officials, the case was confirmed Sunday after a test was performed Sunday.

Gary health commissioner, Dr. Roland H. Walker said the person is isolated currently.

The Indiana Department of Health confirmed the first case of monkeypox in Indiana over the weekend.

Gary Mayor Jerome Prince and Walker believe the proximity to Chicago is a reason to be understanding of the case occurring in Gary.

“Considering our proximity to Chicago it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that this virus has spread to the city of Gary," Prince said.

“There have been — at least by the end of last week — 10 reported cases (of monkeypox) in the state of Illinois. Seven of those in the Chicagoland area," Walker said. "If you include Gary in the Chicagoland area, around nine to 10 cases in the Chicagoland area.”

As of 5 p.m. on June 21, there were a total of 141 cases in the United States, according to the CDC.

According to the IDOH, monkeypox symptoms usually start out as fever, headache, chills, muscle aches and exhaustion within 5 to 21 days after exposure.

Within one to three days, sometimes longer, after developing a fever a rash will usually appear. The rash often begins on the face and spreads across the person's body. Some people may only develop a rash and no other symptoms. The health department says symptoms usually last between two to four weeks and a person is considered infectious until all scabs from the rash have fallen off.

Person-to-person transmission is possible through skin-to-skin contact with body fluids, monkeypox sores or contaminated items such as bedding or clothing, according to the health department. Transmission is also possible through exposure to respiratory droplets during prolonged face-to-face contact.

“The risk of monkeypox among the general public continues to be extremely low,” said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, M.D., FACOG. “Monkeypox is rare and does not easily spread through brief casual contact. Please continue to take the same steps you do to protect against any infection, including washing your hands frequently and thoroughly, and check with a healthcare provider if you have any new signs or symptoms.”