Presumptive Monkeypox Case Found at UMD; Health Center Recommends Precautions

University Health Center Director Dr. Spyridon Marinopoulos sent the following email to the campus community today:

I am writing to notify you that we have our first presumptive case of monkeypox (MPX) within the University of Maryland community. The staff member has taken all necessary medical steps and is doing well. We have already responded with appropriate cleaning and disinfection measures, as guided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, to help ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff. We are actively working with the Prince George’s County Health Department who will take the lead on notifying anyone who needs to be informed.

As this disease continues to be present across the country and the world, it is likely we will experience MPX cases on campus. We are continuing to monitor the situation in partnership with our local and state health departments, and will communicate with you if additional guidance is required. Our University Health Center staff will be working with county health officials to monitor cases and coordinate targeted communication and response.

The best way to protect yourself is to take preventive measures.
We know that MPX spreads between people primarily through close contact (e.g., direct physical contact with the infectious rash, including during intimate contact such as kissing, cuddling or sex). The risk of contracting this infection is low for those who have been in casual, rather than close, contact with an infected individual (e.g., being in the same room).

Take the following steps to prevent getting monkeypox:

• Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like MPX. Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with MPX. Do not kiss, hug, cuddle or have sex with someone with MPX.
  
• Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with MPX has used. Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with MPX. Do not handle, touch or share the bedding, towels or clothing of a person with MPX.
  
• Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.
  
  

If you have symptoms of monkeypox:
Symptoms of MPX can include fever, headache, muscle aches and backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion, and a rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals or anus.

If you develop symptoms consistent with MPX, please contact the University Health Center at 301.314.8184 or your own healthcare provider to report the symptoms and seek further guidance. If you seek care through your own healthcare provider, please also call the UHC at 301.314.8184 to report your case. The UHC website also has answers to frequently asked questions about MPX. If you have general questions about MPX, you may email healthconcerns@umd.edu.

We appreciate everyone’s heightened awareness as we work together to prevent the spread of this emerging illness.

Sincerely,

Spyridon S. Marinopoulos, MD, MBA, FACP
Director, University Health Center
Chief Medical Officer, University of Maryland
He/Him/His