DeKALB — The first positive case of monkeypox has been reported at NIU, according to an email sent to students, faculty and staff by NIU president Lisa Freeman on Thursday.

The email stated that the infected student has “had minimal contact with members of the community and has not attended in-person classes.”

The DeKalb County Health Department (DCHD) has also begun contacting those who were in close contact with the individual, instructing them to monitor for monkeypox symptoms for the next 21 days.

There are 999 positive cases of monkeypox in Illinois as of Thursday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website.

Anyone who has been in close contact with someone infected with monkeypox is at risk of having the virus transmitted to them.

Students experiencing symptoms of monkeypox can contact the Northwestern Medicine Student Health Center at 815-306-2777. Employees are instructed to contact their personal health care providers.

Testing positive

Those who test positive for monkeypox will be required to isolate for about two to four weeks. They must then be cleared by a physician before being permitted to leave isolation.

Students are required to inform the university if they have a test pending results or if they have received a positive test result. Students can do this by filling out the MPV Notification Form on NIU’s Protecting the Pack website. Students are advised to self-isolate at their permanent residence to best handle their self-care needs.

Employees who test positive for monkeypox should self-isolate at their homes. If their roles allow, they should plan to work remotely or use their sick-time benefits until they have been cleared to return by a physician.

Vaccinations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is recommending a monkeypox vaccine to individuals who have been exposed to the virus or those at a higher risk of contracting it, according to the DCHD website. The vaccine is currently being distributed to areas with prominent cases of monkeypox.

NIU officials were not immediately available for comment.