Keller, Texas school district confirms monkeypox case

Keller school district officials have confirmed a case of monkeypox at one of its campuses and are working to sanitize Central High School as a precaution, Star-Telegram media partner WFAA reported. The sanitization is a precaution after a “member of the community” was diagnosed with the viral disease, according to WFAA. The district has not released any information beyond that about who was infected, but said it has contacted staff and families of students about the case as required by Tarrant County Public Health. Monkeypox is a viral disease that can spread among any demographic, no matter race, sexual orientation or gender, but experts have said the risk of monkeypox spreading at schools is low.

The disease is related to smallpox. Until this year, monkeypox was exceedingly rare in the United States. While still not particularly common, it is becoming less rare. According to data from Tarrant County Public Health, the county has 101 confirmed cases of monkeypox. It announced its first case in July. Texas at large has 1,427 confirmed cases of the virus. While initially the virus was spreading through travel outside the US, officials have seen it spread locally in recent weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has released guidance for schools and daycares, including isolation for anybody who shows symptoms. Caregivers working with healthcare providers and the department of health should decide when the person with symptoms should return to the educational setting and prepare private spaces to assess the illness of children. The CDC also said organizations should provide personal protective equipment who are caring for students with any infectious diseases.