Health officials in Champaign-Urbana say there have been no additional positive monkeypox cases at a Rantoul day care.
This comes after one day care worker at the facility tested positive last week.
The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) says all adults and children who were potentially exposed were screened for the virus.
They say there are no cases of secondary spread.
“The daycare center that we worked with was very responsive and quick in their actions to ensure the safety of the children and the center’s employees,” said Julie Pryde, administrator of Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. “The daycare’s director worked closely with us from the start to ensure that the CDC-required cleaning was done and that all who had potential exposures were contacted.”
Monkeypox is a rare, but potentially serious viral illness, which belongs to the Orthopoxvirus family, and typically begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph nodes and progresses to a rash on the face and body. The virus can spread through close prolonged contact with an infected person or animal. This might include contact with the skin lesions, body fluids, or sharing clothes or other materials that have been used by someone who is infectious, and through respiratory droplets in prolonged face-to-face contact.
People who have a new or unexplained rash, sores, or symptoms, or have a confirmed exposure should contact a healthcare provider for assessment and testing.
“I would like to thank the daycare director and staff, Carle’s amazing quick response team, and my colleagues at the Illinois Department of Public Health and Champaign-Urbana Public Health District for their incredible work on this situation,” said Ms. Pryde.
Due to the limited availability of the Jynneos vaccine, only those with increased risk of infection are eligible currently for vaccination. Individuals with questions about their eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine may email monkeypox@c-uphd.org or call 217-531-4926.
For more about this virus, visit: