LDH: Two new cases of monkeypox in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) -- Two new cases of monkeypox were reported Tuesday by the Louisiana Department of Health.

The department said both cases are from Region 1, which consists of Orleans, Plaquemines, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes. LDH reported the first case of monkeypox in a Louisiana resident on Thursday, July 7.

"There are likely more undiagnosed human cases of monkeypox in Louisiana than have been formally tested and identified to date," said LDH in a news release Tuesday.

The state's health department said it is working with the CDC and healthcare providers to identify and notify individuals who have been in contact with a resident diagnosed with monkeypox. There have been 866 monkeypox cases found in 40 states and Washington, D.C., according to LDH. Worldwide, there have been 9,647 cases reported from 63 countries.

For more information about monkeypox in the U.S., click here.