Officials with the Health Department in Volusia County announced Friday afternoon that they’re investigating the county's first case of monkeypox.

“DOH-Volusia is conducting epidemiological investigations to notify possible exposures and offer potential post-exposure prophylaxis,” the department said in a press release. 

No other cases have been identified in the county, but the overall spread of this disease concerns doctors.

“You know, after two and half years of dealing with COVID-19, we have COVID fatigue, and now we are dealing with two dangerous viruses at the same time,” said internist Dr. Aftab Khan.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox can be spread to anyone through close, personal and skin-to-skin contact.

Experts say a person infected can spread it to others from when symptoms start until the rash has fully healed, and the illness typically lasts between two and four weeks.

“Monkeypox can be a seriously painful disease," Kahn said. "It could be a disfiguring disease. On top of that, financially it could be devastating because you have to be in isolation for up to three weeks."

The Central Florida doctor believes more vaccine access will help combat the spread. 

Although there’s no specific treatment for monkeypox infections, officials with the CDC say antiviral drugs and vaccines created for smallpox, a genetically similar disease, may be used to prevent and treat monkeypox.

Right now, Florida has 373 confirmed cases of the monkeypox virus throughout the state. 

Officials say that’s the fourth-highest number of infections in the country.

“If the vaccine is given between four and 14 days, you can avoid serious symptoms of monkeypox,” Khan said.