FORT BEND COUNTY – Ridge Point High School, a Fort Bend ISD school, confirmed its second case of monkeypox among students on Thursday.
“It’s a little bit scary. We haven’t really heard much about it,” one student said.
Recommended Videos
“I have some concerns. I’m not overly concerned like I’m going to pull my son out of school, but certainly concerned enough that it brings some pause,” said parent Abel Sanchez.
Dr. Luis Ostrosky is the Chief of Infectious Diseases at Memorial Hermann Hospital and UT Health. He says it’s important for parents to talk about sexually transmitted infections, including monkeypox.
“I do think that teenagers are sexually active and they may be able to acquire it that way. What we know from this virus is that it is very hard for it to transmit in community settings or in larger settings, you really need that skin-to-skin contact for transmission or very prolonged contact in closed spaces,” Dr. Ostrosky said.
The district said they will continue to clean and disinfect all campuses to prevent any infectious disease. Some students say they are taking extra steps to protect themselves.
“My son wears his mask every day at school,” Sanchez said.
“I make sure that when I’m done doing something, I use hand sanitizer or I wash my hands, especially when I’m done using the restroom,” Zachery Mandiola said.
The district said they are working with the Fort Bend County Health Department.
Doctors say it takes 21 days for the virus to go away.
How to prevent the spread of Monkeypox:
- Avoid close, skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash that looks like monkeypox.
- Do not touch the rash or scabs of a person with monkeypox.
- Avoid close contact with any individual suspected of having any illness.
- Avoid contact with objects and materials that a person with monkeypox has used.
- Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with monkeypox.
- Do not handle or touch the bedding, towels, or clothing of a person with monkeypox.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom.
- To Parents - if your child or household member has a new or unexplained rash, seek medical attention from your healthcare provider.