An active-duty member of the U.S. military based in Stuttgart, Germany has been identified as having the military’s first known case of monkeypox, a U.S. European Command spokesperson told CNN in a statement.Related video above: Infectious disease expert explains latest report about U.S. monkeypox infectionsThe service member “recently tested positive for monkeypox,” Captain William Speaks, USN, said in a statement.”The individual was seen and treated at the Stuttgart Army Health clinic and is currently in isolation recovering in their quarters off-base,” Speaks said.He continued: “Public health officials have determined that the risk to the overall population is very low. As a precautionary measure, contact tracing is being done for clinic staff who interacted with the patient. The case in Stuttgart is of the West African strain, which is generally mild and human-to-human transmission is limited.”The U.S. military is complying with all applicable host nation laws and regulations, the spokesperson said.Military infectious disease experts had been watching for monkeypox cases for some time, officials say the Pentagon recently asked the Army’s Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases what testing capabilities are available should there be a large outbreak.
An active-duty member of the U.S. military based in Stuttgart, Germany has been identified as having the military’s first known case of monkeypox, a U.S. European Command spokesperson told CNN in a statement.
Related video above: Infectious disease expert explains latest report about U.S. monkeypox infections
The service member “recently tested positive for monkeypox,” Captain William Speaks, USN, said in a statement.
“The individual was seen and treated at the Stuttgart Army Health clinic and is currently in isolation recovering in their quarters off-base,” Speaks said.
He continued: “Public health officials have determined that the risk to the overall population is very low. As a precautionary measure, contact tracing is being done for clinic staff who interacted with the patient. The case in Stuttgart is of the West African strain, which is generally mild and human-to-human transmission is limited.”
The U.S. military is complying with all applicable host nation laws and regulations, the spokesperson said.
Military infectious disease experts had been watching for monkeypox cases for some time, officials say the Pentagon recently asked the Army’s Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases what testing capabilities are available should there be a large outbreak.
