OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Oklahoma experts weighed in after monkeypox was declared a public health emergency.

The World Health Organization declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency earlier on Saturday. In addition to the declaration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified the fourth case in Oklahoma.

The first case in the state was identified back in early June. As of last weekend, there were just three cases but that number has changed.

Some of the symptoms include fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches and muscle aches. The disease can spread through any skin-to-skin contact and OU Health infectious disease experts said it spreads a few other ways too.

“By and far and away, the way you get monkeypox most commonly is direct contact with skin, with lesions, with clothing, bed sheets, things like that, that are contaminated with the virus,” said Dr. Dale Bratzler.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health said clinicians should be more cautious if a suspicious rash, consistent with monkeypox, shows up on someone who has traveled to countries with recently confirmed cases of the virus, reported having contact with someone who has a similar appearing rash or have received a positive test result for monkeypox.

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