© 2024 Ideastream Public Media

1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 916-6100 | (877) 399-3307

WKSU is a public media service licensed to Kent State University and operated by Ideastream Public Media.
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Preparing for monkeypox in Ohio. Here's what you need to know

UK Health Security Agency
/
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

After years of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, health officials have identified a probable monkeypox case in Ohio.

The two infectious diseases are being compared by some, but they are not in the same league when it comes to transmissibility, said Dr. Frank Esper, Cleveland Clinic pediatric infectious disease specialist.

"With coronavirus, one good cough in a well-enclosed room, you could spread that virus to several other people in that room," said Dr. Esper, "Whereas monkeypox really requires prolonged, close contact with someone who’s not just infected but actually showing symptoms of that infection.”

It is a slow-spreading disease, and there haven’t been any deaths, so Ohio is not on the brink of seeing another worldwide pandemic, Dr. Esper said.

“These types of global outbreaks may be something that we’re going to be recognizing because borders and travel have allowed germs to travel much more freely," Esper said.

It’s possible we may see more random outbreaks of diseases in regions where they aren’t typically seen, he said.

Lisa Ryan is a health reporter at Ideastream Public Media.