U.S. service member in Germany is military’s first known case of monkeypox

The U.S. military on Friday reported its first known case of monkeypox — an active-duty service member based in Germany.

“We can confirm that a duty service member from the Stuttgart military community recently tested positive for monkeypox,” Navy Capt. William Speaks, who is a spokesperson for the U.S. European Command, said in a statement. “The individual was seen and treated at the Stuttgart Army Health clinic and is currently in isolation recovering in their quarters on-base.”

He did not identify the stricken service member but said German authorities are aware and “the U.S. military is complying with all applicable host nation laws and regulations.”

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“Public Health Officials have determined that the risk to the overall population is very low,” Speaks said. “As a precautionary measure, contact tracing is being done for clinic staff who interacted with the patient. The case in Stuttgart is of the West African strain, which is generally mild and human-to-human transmission is limited.”

Monkeypox belongs to the family of viruses that includes smallpox. The disease got its name after scientists discovered it among laboratory monkeys in 1958. The first monkeypox case in a human was diagnosed in 1970.

The strain of monkeypox that has been reported in the U.S. and Europe has had a 1 percent fatality rate in the past, according to the World Health Organization.

Monkeypox spreads primarily through direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids or scabs, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can also be spread via sex or through contaminated materials like bed linen or clothing.