The US capital Washington, D.C. on Sunday reported its first case of monkeypox, a viral illness that can spread through direct contact with bodily fluids or monkeypox lesions, according to Anadolu Agency.

The case was confirmed Saturday in a resident who recently traveled to Europe, said the health authority, DC Health.

“The collected samples have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for further testing and confirmation of the Monkeypox virus,” the body said in a statement.

The patient is currently isolating and does not pose a risk to the public, said the health authority.

On Friday, the CDC said the number of monkeypox cases had more than doubled over the past week to 20 across 11 states.

Monkeypox usually begins with flu-like symptoms and swelling in the lymph nodes before a rash begins to form on the face and body. Symptoms can take up to 21 days to appear after exposure.

Source: Azerbaijan news State Agency