Monkeypox: Chicago Cases Linked To Recent Conference, Europe Travel

Chicago -- Health authorities have confirmed new monkeypox cases among its residents. Some of them were linked to a recent conference, while others had a history of travel.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) identified five new monkeypox cases among the city's residents. This brings the total number of confirmed cases in the city to seven as of Sunday, the agency noted in a news release.

Some of the individuals had recently traveled to Europe, while one of them reportedly attended the International Mr. Leather (IML) conference in the city, which was held from May 26 to 30. According to the agency, there have also been monkeypox cases in "another state," which also has links to the IML conference.

The CDPH is working with other public health departments to determine any possible cases linked to a visit to Chicago during this time. This could help with investigations and contact tracing.

The agency is now urging people to take extra precautions this summer, especially in "spaces or situations" where monkeypox may be transmitted. It has even been contacting organizers of events to ensure they are informed about safety.

"While the risk in Chicago remains low, CDPH wants the public to be able to make informed choices about gathering in spaces or participating in events where monkeypox could be spread through close or intimate contact," CDPH Commissioner Allison Arwady said.

For instance, people should consider "how much close contact" they could have with other people in events they plan to attend, noted the CDPH. This is because people can get infected by getting in contact with the respiratory secretions, bodily fluids or lesions of someone who is infected with the virus. Also, those who feel sick or have rashes shouldn't attend such events. Instead, they should contact their healthcare provider "as soon as possible."

There were a total of 65 confirmed monkeypox/orthopoxvirus cases in the U.S. as of Monday, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). States such as Washington, Ohio and Arizona have logged one case each, while California has so far logged the most number of cases with 15, followed by New York with 11.

Globally, there have been 1,678 confirmed monkeypox/orthopox virus cases in 35 countries.