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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health officials in Dallas said Friday they are investigating a case of an unusual virus called monkeypox in a traveler coming from Nigeria.
Monkeypox is a relative of smallpox, but it's less transmissible and less deadly. Smallpox was eradicated in 1979 through a global vaccination campaign.
The CDC and health officials in Dallas said although the traveler flew while infected, they don't believe it's likely anyone else on the flight was infected. They're checking just in case, though.
"The individual is a City of Dallas resident who traveled from Nigeria to Dallas, arriving at Love Field airport on July 9, 2021. The person is hospitalized in Dallas and is in stable condition," the Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.
"We have been working closely with the CDC and DSHS (the Texas Department of State Health Services) and have conducted interviews with the patient and close contacts that were exposed," said DCHHS Director Dr. Philip Huang. "We have determined that there is very little risk to the general public."
