3 CCSD monkeypox cases reported this school year, officials say

Three monkeypox cases have been associated with the Clark County School District this school year, and there were no exposures, according to the Southern Nevada Health District.

“We are monitoring for cases alongside the Clark County School District,” health district spokeswoman Jennifer Sizemore said in an email last week.

But the school district said on Wednesday that it has had only two confirmed monkeypox cases.

“With protocols in place, the District is prepared should other cases be confirmed,” the school district said in a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “As we respect the privacy of students and employees, we will inform schools and conduct cleaning procedures accordingly.”

Health and education officials have said monkeypox poses a low risk in kindergarten through 12th grade schools, and transmission is uncommon in classroom settings. Nationwide, the number of cases in the general population has been on the downturn.

In August, the school district released a statement saying a person at Palo Verde High School in northwest Las Vegas was diagnosed with monkeypox. But it didn’t publicly announce any other cases, except for letters sent home to parents.

The Review-Journal asked in a public records request for letters to parents regarding monkeypox cases and received two — one from Aug. 12 at Palo Verde High and one dated Aug. 29 at Woodbury Middle School in southeast Las Vegas.

The letters to parents — each of which was sent by a school principal — are essentially identical and say a “person” or individual” at the school was diagnosed with monkeypox. They don’t specify if the person was a student or employee.

“Monkeypox is not generally spread in the classroom setting,” the letters state.

The letters also state that the health district was investigating to “determine who may need additional evaluation.”

“The Southern Nevada Health District will notify parents and guardians if it is determined that your child needs to be tested or monitored,” the messages state.

Those infected with monkeypox typically get a blistering rash and may have flu-like symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The illness is typically spread through close, intimate contact such as sex. Most U.S. cases have been among men who have sex with men.

As of Tuesday, 270 probable and confirmed cases had been reported in Clark County since June, according to the Southern Nevada Health District. Fewer than five were among children ages 17 and younger.

In total, 7,055 monkeypox vaccines have been administered in Clark County.

One college case

Officials at Las Vegas Valley colleges and universities say they’re generally not tracking monkeypox case numbers. And only one has been reported.

One case has been associated with the College of Southern Nevada, and there were no exposures, Sizemore said.

The community college isn’t collecting data on monkeypox cases, spokesman Richard Lake said. The health district is handling case management and contact tracing, so a case at the college would be referred to that agency, he added.

UNLV continues to assess the situation with monkeypox but isn’t actively tracking cases, spokesman Francis McCabe said.

“We have notified the campus community about the virus and offered information and resources if the need arises,” he said in an email. “In the meantime, UNLV experts have partnered to help educate the public and track the disease in the community.”

Nevada State College in Henderson hasn’t received any reports of monkeypox cases in its campus community, spokesman Nick Claus said.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.