Monkeypox reaches Whatcom County, as health department reports first confirmed case

A Whatcom County resident in their 50s has tested positive for the monkeypox virus — the first confirmed case within the county.

The Whatcom County Health Department reports that the person, who tested positive Tuesday, Aug. 2, has not been hospitalized and is isolating at home.

Whatcom’s first monkeypox case appears to be linked to an exposure in King County, the health department said in a news release Wednesday, Aug. 3.

“WCHD is working to identify anyone who may be a close contact of our first case,” the health department release reads. “The Health Department has a limited amount of vaccine on hand to administer to any high priority close contacts of the infected person.”

Though the person who tested positive was not admitted to St. Joseph’s hospital in Bellingham, the individual was treated for suspicion of monkeypox and released on Sunday, July 31, hospital spokesperson Bev Mayhew told The Bellingham Herald in an email. The test results were not received until Tuesday.

“The hospital’s Infection Prevention team determined that there was minimal, if any, risk of exposure to other patients while the individual was in the hospital and is working closely with the health department,” Mayhew wrote, adding that all PeaceHealth hospitals and clinics have processes in place to protect patients and caregivers from potential exposure. Those processes include screening protocols and CDC-recommended isolation and testing procedures.

The monkeypox virus in a viral disease not commonly seen in the United States that can cause a rash that looks like bumps, sores, blisters or ulcers, according to the release. For most people, the risk of serious illness is low, the release states, and nobody within the United States had died from monkeypox virus during the current outbreak.

But, the release notes that monkeypox virus can be serious, especially for children and people who are immunocompromised or pregnant.

“It is important for people to know that risk to the general public remains low,” Whatcom County Co-Health Officer Amy Harley said in the release. “We have been preparing for the possibility of MPV in Whatcom County for the last few months.

“The U.S. has successfully controlled outbreaks of MPV in the past. This virus is not spread as easily as COVID-19 and we already have vaccines and treatments available.”

According to the health department, the virus spreads through close, physical contact with:

▪ Rashes, scabs or sores caused by monkeypox virus.

▪ Objects, fabrics or surfaces used by a person with monkeypox virus.

▪ Respiratory droplets or fluids from the mouth of a person with monkeypox virus.

Monkeypox virus can be spread by an infected person as soon as symptoms first show and last until all sores and a fresh layer of skin forms several weeks later, according to the release. It can also take up to three weeks for symptoms to first show after exposure, though most people will see symptoms within seven to 14 days.

If you or someone you know develops monkeypox virus symptoms, the health department recommends:

▪ Avoiding sexual or intimate contact.

▪ Working with the Whatcom County Health Department to reach out to possible contacts who may have been exposed and could be eligible to receive a vaccine to prevent illness.

▪ Speaking to your healthcare provider.

There also are antiviral treatments available for those with severe symptoms caused by monkeypox virus, according to the health department.

“Men who have sex with men may be at higher risk because the virus is spreading in these communities,” the health department stated in the release.

The Washington State Department of Health has more information on monkeypox virus at doh.wa.gov/monkeypox.