Putnam County has reported its first case of monkeypox

OTTAWA — The Putnam County Health Department confirmed the county’s first case of monkeypox on Thursday.

The health department is working to identify people who may have been exposed through close contact with an infected person, but there is no risk to the public, according to a news release Thursday.

Health officials have identified 259 cases of the rare disease in Ohio since June, two of which were previously reported in Allen County. But the disease has not yet been detected in many surrounding counties, such as Auglaize, Hardin, Hancock, Mercer or Van Wert County, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Health officials are working to vaccinate those at risk, particularly men who have sex with men or those who have had close contact with an infected person, but vaccine supplies have been limited and vary by county. As of Thursday, the Putnam County Health Department did not have the monkeypox vaccine available.

Monkey pox is usually spread by close or intimate contact, but the disease can also be spread by touching contaminated surfaces such as bedding. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a person can be contagious for two to four weeks or until the rash has completely healed.

Only one death has been linked to the disease in the U.S. since the nationwide outbreak began this spring, while 10 percent of confirmed cases in Ohio required hospitalization, according to ODH and CDC data.