By: News 12 Staff The Suffolk County Health Department has announced the first confirmed case of monkeypox on Long Island. The individual, who was seen by a local healthcare provider, is following isolation protocols at home. Suffolk health officials are contacting the person and will contact people who may have been exposed. The case is one of 96 confirmed cases of orthopoxvirus in New York state. “While the current risk to the general public is low, we urge the public, as well as healthcare providers in Suffolk County, to be aware that this rare virus has been found in the area and to be aware of its signs and symptoms and how it is transmitted monkeypox virus,” said Suffolk County Health Commissioner Dr. Gregson Pigott. Dr. Bruce Hirsch, an infectious disease specialist at Northwell Health, says more than 90% of people will have a “self-limiting infection”. He says patients will likely have flu-like symptoms, swollen lymph nodes and some skin irritation on certain parts of the body. Doctors say monkeypox is fatal in rare cases. Currently, Nassau County has no confirmed cases of monkeypox.
