A person incarcerated in a Maricopa County jail is "suspected to have Monkeypox," according to internal emails obtained by The Arizona Republic.

The emails, sent to Maricopa County Sheriff's Office staff members on Thursday, refer to "an inmate with Monkeypox" being held in a jail infirmary.

"He is in medical isolation and will not be transported or removed from the cell without medical direction," read an email to supervisors and commanders at the Sheriff's Office.

What is monkeypox? How many monkeypox cases are in Arizona and how to get the vaccine

A reply from a shift supervisor says, "I have reviewed the CDC recommendations and we will treat it like a Positive Covid at this time."

The correspondence states, "Staff shall wear N95 mask, gown, gloves, eye protection at all times dealing with this inmate. Please ensure supplies are placed outside of his cell and he is listed as Med Ops with precaution listed on his cell door."

The directions to staff continue, suggesting the incarcerated person's clothing and linens should be placed in a biohazard bag prior to being sent to laundry services.

The emails say the Sheriff's Office staff is working with Correctional Health Services, which provides health care for the jail population, on additional protocols that may be needed. 

"There have been other cases reported around the jails across the United States," one email says. "Based on what I have read, it appears to be easily controlled, if everyone follows the precautions listed."

"While we are treating it like Covid, there is not any research that it spreads like Covid," the email concludes.

A commander with the Sheriff's Office suggested the potentially infected person be kept in masks and medical gowns, and have their lesions covered with "long pants, long sleeves, bandages, or a sheet or gown if they need to leave the isolation area."

The emails suggested that "anyone who touches lesions or clothing, linens, or surfaces that may have had contact with lesions should wash their hands immediately."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the virus can spread through physical contact or respiratory droplets. It can spread from the time symptoms start until the rash has healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts two to four weeks.

Reached for comment regarding the suspected infection Friday night, Maricopa County Communications Director Fields Moseley said: "We do not discuss individual investigations for monkeypox or any other disease. As of today we have no confirmed cases in the jails."

"We have always and will continue to perform medical screenings for everyone coming into the jail system," Moseley said. "If a positive case is identified in the jail system, it will be treated like any other instance of infectious disease. Public Health will conduct a case investigation, perform contact tracing to identify any possible exposures, and determine the appropriate action to prevent disease spread."

According to CDC, as of Friday, there were 11,177 confirmed cases of monkeypox in the U.S., including 170 cases in Arizona. 

Have a news tip on Maricopa County jails? Reach the reporter at jjenkins@arizonarepublic.com or at 812-243-5582. Follow him on Twitter @JimmyJenkins.

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