The New Jersey Department of Health is probing its first probable case of monkeypox in the state, officials announced on Monday.

Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said in a statement that a PCR test confirmed the presence of orthopoxvirus in a North Jersey resident on June 18. A confirmatory test for the virus will be performed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Officials say that the infected person is isolating at home and that the local health department is conducting contact tracing.

Officials say that monkeypox is rare, but can be spread “through close prolonged contact with an infected person or animal.”

Persichilli said that the risk of New Jerseyans for the virus remains low.

The state Department of Health says symptoms of monkeypox “are similar to but milder than the symptoms of smallpox, and begin with fever, headache, muscle aches and exhaustion 7-14 days after infection.” Anyone who experiences these symptoms should contact their health care provider.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS AND HOW IS IT TREATED?

Monkeypox belongs to the same virus family as smallpox but causes milder symptoms. Most patients only experience fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body. The incubation period is from about five days to three weeks. Most people recover within about two to four weeks without needing to be hospitalized. Monkeypox can be fatal for up to one in 10 people and is thought to be more severe in children. People exposed to the virus are often given one of several smallpox vaccines, which have been shown to be effective against monkeypox. Anti-viral drugs are also being developed.