Hartford — A New Haven man has become the first person in Connecticut diagnosed with monkeypox since an outbreak of the disease was identified in the United States this spring.

The man, who is in his 40s, has not been hospitalized, but has been isolating, the state Department of Public Health announced Tuesday. His name has not been released.

Dr. Manisha Juthani, the department's commissioner, said DPH has alerted medical professionals and higher risk populations about monkeypox and has asked local health departments to monitor for cases.

“DPH believes that the risk to Connecticut residents from this case is low,” she said in a statement. “The United States is currently experiencing a monkeypox outbreak, and there will likely be additional cases in Connecticut in the weeks ahead."

Most monkeypox patients experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.

The disease is endemic in parts of Africa, where people have been infected through bites from rodents or small animals. It does not usually spread easily among people.

In May, cases began emerging in Europe and the United States. Many of those who contracted the virus had traveled internationally.

There have been no U.S. deaths reported.

Associated Press