Anniston, AL – On August, 23rd, Dr. Dr. Raul Magadia, infectious disease specialist and director of the pandemic unit at RMC Anniston, answered questions about Money Pox and confirmed a single patient being treated at the facility. Dr. Magadia would not confirm the age or where the male patient was from, but did confirm he is being treated for Monkey Pox. He also stated that the patient did have a same-sex relationship with a monkeypox carrier. This is relevant only due to the CDC releasing a statement that, “At this time, data suggest that gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men make up the majority of cases in the current monkeypox outbreak. However, anyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, who has been in close, personal contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.” Dr. Magadia stated that as of Monday night, there were 43,000 cases globally, 15,000 cases in the U.S. and 47 cases in Alabama. Dr. Magadia went on to stress, “It’s not a gay disease. It’s no more than a gay disease than it’s an African disease, just because you don’t do that kind of behavior or some kinds some kind of sexual encounters doesn’t mean that you’re not exposed or your not at risk because it’s pretty much skin-to-skin contact.” RMC staff is taking steps to prevent the spread and is currently incinerating all linens that the patient has come in contact with.
There was also a great emphasis placed on getting information from reputable sources only such as RMC, WHO, and the CDC and avoiding getting information from social media. Per the CDC website Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. Monkeypox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. Monkeypox is not related to chickenpox. Monkeypox was discovered in 1958, but the first human case of monkeypox was recorded in 1970. Prior to the 2022 outbreak, monkeypox had been reported in people in several central and western African countries. Previously, almost all monkeypox cases in people outside of Africa were linked to international travel to countries where the disease commonly occurs or through imported animals. These cases occurred on multiple continents.
Per the CDC people with monkeypox get a rash that may be located on or near the genitals (penis, testicles, labia, and vagina) or anus and could be on other areas like the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth. The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing. The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy.
Other symptoms of monkeypox can include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Exhaustion
- Muscle aches and backache
- Headache
- Respiratory symptoms (e.g. sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)
You may experience all or only a few symptoms. Sometimes, people have flu-like symptoms before the rash. Some people get a rash first, followed by other symptoms. Others only experience a rash. Monkeypox symptoms usually start within 3 weeks of exposure to the virus. If someone has flu-like symptoms, they will usually develop a rash 1-4 days later. Monkeypox can be spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has healed, all scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks.
