Houston, Texas (KTRK) – On Monday, Harris County officials said an adult who had various critical illnesses as well as a presumptive positive case of monkeypox has died.
Harris County Public Health has not identified the person who died in a county hospital Sunday, adding that an autopsy will determine what role, if any, monkeypox may have in that person’s death.
The video above is from a previous Monkeypox FAQ
“We are sharing this information to err on the side of transparency and to avoid potential misinformation about this case,” said Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.
No other information about the patient, including the person’s gender and age, was immediately provided.
SEE ALSO: A case of monkeypox has been reported on the IDEA public school campus in North Houston
The development comes as the Texas Department of Health has counted more than 1,400 cases statewide, of which nearly 600 are in the Houston area. Most of those who have tested positive are men.
Monday’s announcement was a major reason given by Judge Hidalgo to speed up vaccinations in the community.
“The best way for us to fight this virus is through vaccines,” Hidalgo said. “Our goal remains to get as many people qualified as possible to get vaccinated as quickly as possible – I have always felt that vaccines are the key to limiting the spread of disease.”
If you suspect that you or a family member has been exposed to monkeypox, we urge you to contact your health care provider. If you have questions regarding the monkeypox test, vaccinations, and other guidelines, you can call the monkeypox hotline at 832-927-0707 or visit HCPH Monkeypox Guidance Web Page.
According to the HCPH, monkeypox is a zoonotic disease that includes a painful rash, which may look like blisters or blisters, and is often accompanied by an earlier influenza-like illness. Zoonoses are infectious diseases that are transmitted between species, from animals to humans, or from humans to animals and from humans to humans.
See also: Man infected with monkeypox, COVID-19 and HIV at the same time
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