Possible monkeypox case reported near Georgetown University

Officials say the person lives off campus, is in isolation and is doing well

An electron microscope image from the CDC shows mature monkeypox virions, left, and immature ones, right. (AP)

Georgetown University officials said they believe there is a case of monkeypox near the Northwest Washington campus.

In a statement, the officials said they have learned of a “presumptive case of monkeypox in a Georgetown community member living off campus” near the main campus.

They said the person is “in isolation and doing well.”

Anyone who has been in “recent contact with the individual and identified through contact tracing has been notified and will be monitored by the DC Department of Health … or the University’s Public Health team,” said the statement from Ranit Mishori, Georgetown’s vice president and chief public health officer.

As monkeypox cases rise in Europe and other parts of the globe, health authorities are expressing concern about the unusual uptick. (Video: Alexa Juliana Ard, Meryl Kornfield/The Washington Post)

About 150 monkeypox cases have been reported in the United States. The Biden administration said Wednesday it was allowing commercial laboratories to conduct monkeypox tests.

Last week, what was believed to be the first case of monkeypox in the D.C. region was reported. Health officials said a Maryland adult had mild symptoms and was in isolation but not hospitalized.

Monkeypox, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a rare disease that’s caused by the monkeypox virus. Officials at Georgetown said in their release that it “does not spread easily between people without close contact (e.g., direct physical contact with the infectious rash, including during intimate contact such as kissing, cuddling, or sex).”

Experts say the risk of getting infected is “very low for those who have been in casual, rather than close, contact with an infected individual,” according to Georgetown’s statement.

Symptoms of monkeypox can include chills, exhaustion, a rash that looks like pimples, fever and headache. Those who feel ill should seek medical attention.