State health officials are reporting two additional cases of monkeypox, bringing New Hampshire’s total confirmed case count to three as the virus continues to spread globally.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than 2,100 cases of the virus have been confirmed in the United States, including 53 cases in Massachusetts.
New Hampshire has received 262 doses of monkeypox vaccine to date, enough to treat 136 people with the two-dose regimen. State health officials say anyone exposed to a confirmed case of monkeypox will be prioritized for vaccination, as will certain high-risk health care workers.
The monkeypox virus, which is related to smallpox, can cause fever, rash and swelling. Symptoms are usually mild, but state officials say a more severe illness can, in rare cases, require hospitalization. Transmission generally requires close physical or intimate contact.
People who interact briefly with someone infected with the virus do not appear to be at high risk, according to state health officials.
