Other side of the state.

Douglas County reports second suspected monkeypox case (Omaha World-Herald, this morning)

The Douglas County Health Department on Tuesday reported a second probable case of monkeypox. The report comes less than a week after what officials said was the state’s first presumed case of the virus.

The second patient is a known contact of a confirmed case, health officials said in a statement. The person is isolated at home and receiving outpatient care. An investigation is underway to identify and inform anyone else who may have been exposed.

Iowa also reported its first probable case over the weekend. Nationwide, 460 cases had been confirmed in 32 states and territories by July 1, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly 5,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported worldwide in the current outbreak.

The number of U.S. cases has more than doubled since a week ago. That is a concern, said Justin Frederick, the Douglas County Health Department’s supervisor of communicable disease epidemiology.

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