The Chemung County deputy director of public health says a resident in the county has tested positive for monkeypox, but that the public is not at risk.

"I can understand that people are really on alert right now, and our senses are kind of heightened due to the COVID pandemic,” says Chemung County Deputy Director of Public Health Sarah Mattison. “This works in a slightly different way and it's not as infectious. So you wouldn't have someone in that same sort of predicament where maybe they were spending 15 minutes in a closed area together that would not be long enough for transmission for monkeypox."

According to the World Health Organization, the monkeypox virus is a type of virus that is transmitted to humans from animals with symptoms similar to those of smallpox, although it is clinically less severe.

"Most folks who have monkeypox develop a rash that has pustules, and those pustules when they burst or when they are weeping they are releasing fluid. At that point if you come into contact with that fluid then that's where you have the transmission that takes place,” Mattison said.

The Chemung County Health Department said monkeypox spreads through direct contact with the infectious rash or bodily fluids, respiratory secretions during face-to-face contact and touching items that previously touched the infectious rash or bodily fluids.

The Chemung County Health Department also said pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta.

"Because it requires close physical proximity, one of the things that you can do to help protect yourself is to just engage in regular access to health care, and avoid contact with anyone who has monkeypox,” Mattison said.

According to the World Health Organization, the case fatality ratio for monkeypox has been around 3–6% in recent years. Mattison said monkeypox typically lasts two-to-four weeks, adding the county has been and will continue to be on the lookout for the virus.