2nd pediatric monkeypox case confirmed in Oregon

SALEM Ore. (KPTV) - A second pediatric case of monkeypox was confirmed Wednesday, according to the Oregon Health Authority.

To protect the patient’s privacy, OHA has not released the age, but a pediatric case is defined as someone between zero and 17 years old. OHA did say that this case was not linked to a school, childcare center or other community setting.

“Pediatric monkeypox cases have happened around the country during the nationwide outbreak, and unfortunately Oregon is no exception,” said Dean Sidelinger, an OHA epidemiologist. “This virus can affect anyone.”

Sidelinger said that risk of monkeypox spreading in school settings is low, since the most common means of person-to-person transmission is direct contact with the rash, scabs or body fluids of a person with the virus. It is not easily spread unless there is prolonged, skin-to-skin contact with an infected person.

While the virus has most often spread through intimate or sexual contact during this outbreak, it has also been passed through caregiving contact, such as a parent caring for a child or an adult caretaker of another person. And while rare, monkeypox can also be spread by towels, clothing or other objects that have been in contact with monkeypox lesions.

As of Wednesday, there have been 204 presumptive and confirmed cases of monkeypox in Oregon:

141 in Multnomah County
24 in Washington County
22 in Lane County
6 in Clackamas County
6 in Marion County
2 in Columbia County
1 in Coos County
1 in Hood River County
1 Union County

People who suspect they have monkeypox should contact their health care provider to let them know before going in to be seen. The provider may recommend testing for monkeypox.

For more information about the monkeypox outbreak, people can visit the OHA website.