The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) has confirmed the death of an Indiana resident in which monkeypox was a contributing factor. The individual had multiple other health conditions that contributed to the death. No additional information about the patient will be provided due to patient privacy laws.
State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box stated in a press release that monkeypox cases have decreased significantly with the availability of the vaccine, but it is still circulating and can cause severe illness and death.
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus, which is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox. Monkeypox symptoms usually start within 21 days of exposure to the virus. The most reported symptom of monkeypox is a rash. Some people may have flu-like symptoms before rash, while others may develop a rash first followed by other symptoms, and others may only experience a rash. The rash typically lasts for two to four weeks.
Since June 17, 264 cases of monkeypox have been reported in Indiana, with most occurring among males ages 18 to 39.
