Shuford on monkeypox spread in state: 'It’s not surprising to see the virus spread in Texas'

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported that dozens of monkeypox cases were confirmed within the state as of Thursday, according to Austin ABC affiliate KVUE.

The cases are a part of an ongoing worldwide outbreak of the disease that's spread mainly through human contact with infected rodents. 

The DSHS said that the first cases were rooted in international travel, KVUE reported. 

“With the sharp increase in monkeypox cases worldwide, it’s not surprising to see the virus spread in Texas,” Dr. Jennifer Shuford, the state's head epidemiologist said, the station reported. “We want people to know what the symptoms are, and if they have symptoms, to avoid the types of close contact with other people that can spread the disease.”

According to the DSHS, KVUE reported, three of the active 12 cases are patients who didn't travel in the three weeks preceding their infection.

In the Houston area, there are presently four confirmed cases of the illness, with each of the patients divulging that they traveled, Houston CBS affiliate KHOU reported.

According to Dr. Luis Ostrosky, UTHealth Houston and Memorial Hermann Health System chief of infectious diseases, monkeypox has been around for a long time while the current transmission itself is new, the station reported.

“This is a very abnormal pattern for transmission,” Ostrosky said, per KHOU. “We haven’t seen this before. To the point where it’s about to be declared a global pandemic.”

KVUE reported that those who contract monkeypox experience symptoms such as a pimple- or blister-like rash, fever and muscle aches.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on its website that it's urging the nation's health care providers to be alert for patients who present rash illnesses that align with monkeypox.

"CDC is working with state and local health officials to identify people who may have been in contact with individuals who have tested positive for monkeypox, so they can monitor their health," officials with the federal agency said.