RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Department of Health reported its 27th presumed case of monkeypox Monday.

VDH officials say the man lives in the Northwestern region of Virginia and is currently isolating.

Virginia reported its first presumed case of monkeypox back in late May.

To date, most, but not all, cases have occurred in persons who identify as gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men. Three deaths have been reported globally in this outbreak thus far. As of July 8, CDC had reported 8238 cases of monkeypox identified in 57 countries; 790 cases were reported in the United States.

Monkeypox is a potentially serious viral illness, characterized by a specific type of rash. Rash lesions can begin on the genitals, perianal region, or oral cavity and might be the first or only sign of illness.

Co-infection with sexually transmitted infections have been reported. Some patients also have fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, and/or swelling of the lymph nodes before developing a rash. Symptoms generally appear six to 14 days after exposure and, for most people, clear up within two to four weeks.

If you have symptoms consistent with monkeypox, seek medical care from your healthcare provider immediately, especially if you are in one of the following groups:

  • Those who have had contact with someone who had a rash that looks like monkeypox or someone who was diagnosed with monkeypox
  • Those who have had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity, this includes men who have sex with men
  • Those who traveled to places or attended events where monkeypox cases have been confirmed in the month before symptoms appeared
  • Those who have had contact with household items, such as towels, bedding or clothing, used by a person with suspected or known orthopox or monkeypox virus infection
  • Those who have had contact with a dead or live wild animal or exotic pet from Africa or used a product derived from such animals (e.g., game meat, creams, lotions, powders, etc.)

For more information, visit the VDH website, CDC website, and the World Health Organization website.