(Radio Iowa) – Iowa Department of Corrections officials confirm M-pox or monkey pox has been detected in the state prison in Fort Dodge, but they’re not saying how many inmates are infected with the highly contagious virus. M-pox causes severe rashes and blister-like sores. It was originally found in Africa, but in 2022, m-pox spread around the world in cases linked to travel.

According to a statement from the Iowa Department of Corrections, affected individuals in the Fort Dodge prison are receiving care, with “enhanced sanitation and isolation protocols in place to prevent further spread.” Health officials say m-pox is spread through close contact with someone who has the virus or by touching surfaces or items an infected person has touched.

The Fort Dodge Correctional Facility (I-DOC photo)

State health officials confirmed the first case of monkey pox in Iowa back in 2022. The patients was an adult in north central Iowa who was likely infected during international travel.