After identifying a probable case of monkeypox — making Hawaii only the 11th state to do so — health officials Friday sought to reassure island residents.

“What we want everyone to know is the risk to the general public remains low. Monkeypox does not spread easily from person to person,” state epidemiologist Dr. Sarah Kemble told reporters at a virtual news conference.

Tripler Army Medical Center earlier confirmed that the probable monkeypox case was tested at its hospital, where the patient is in stable condition, in isolation and recovering.

Contact tracing was underway for hospital staff and patients who might have been exposed to the virus, a statement from Tripler said.

State officials said the person had symptoms consistent with monkeypox and within the past month traveled to an area of the mainland with confirmed cases. They would not say more precisely where the patient traveled to, citing patient privacy.

Monkeypox is a type of orthopoxvirus, and testing completed by the State Laboratories Division detected orthopoxvirus.

“We’re continuing to investigate the case, and we’re monitoring close contacts,” Kemble said.

The test results will be sent to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which is expected to conduct confirmation testing next week.

The CDC website on Friday, however, had already listed Hawaii as one of 11 states where the virus has been detected.

Honolulu joined Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles County and Georgia in reporting monkeypox cases just in the past week.

In May cases began emerging in Europe and the United States. Many — but not all — of those who contracted the virus had traveled internationally, and health officials in a growing number of countries are investigating possible cases, according to The Associated Press.

Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 when there was an outbreak of pox-like disease in monkeys kept for research, according to the CDC. The first human case of monkeypox was recorded 12 years later in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has since been detected in humans in other Central and West African countries.

The virus, which is closely related to smallpox, can occasionally be deadly, especially in poorer regions with subpar health care, the CDC said.

Monkeypox does not occur naturally in the United States, and cases are rare here. But cases have happened, mostly linked with international travel or importing animals from areas where the disease is more common.

Dr. Chad Meyer, a retired U.S. State Department foreign service physician from Maui who worked for 20 years in West and Southern Africa, South Asia and Central America, said it remains to be seen whether the monkeypox virus reaches the level of concern of the COVID-19 virus.

Meyer, who was educated in tropical medicine, said he never came across monkeypox in his practice overseas.

“It’s a rare disease,” he said. “You don’t see hundreds of cases of it.”

Meyer said that if monkeypox continues to spread, health authorities will have an upper hand because there are already vaccines for it. When coronavirus started to spread around the world in late 2019 and early 2020, there were no vaccines.

“It is very appropriate to watch this closely,” he said.

At the news conference Friday, state officials said the infection usually begins with flu-like symptoms and swollen lymph nodes, and then progresses to a rash or sores, often on the hands, feet, chest, face or genitals.

Those who are exposed to the virus generally become ill within 21 days of exposure.

State disease investigation supervisor Joe Elm said monkeypox can spread through close, prolonged contact with an infected person or animal.

“This means contact with body fluids or lesion material or items that may have been used by somebody who has the monkeypox,” Elm said.

While monkeypox can be spread through large respiratory droplets, the virus generally cannot travel more than a few feet, so prolonged face-to-face contact for at least a couple of hours is likely necessary to catch it, Elm said.

Those who do get the virus can expect the disease to last one to two weeks after the first lesion appears.

Nationally, the CDC has reported that many cases have occurred among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. The agency has also reported seeing more cases of rash in the genital area.

“It’s important to note that monkeypox is not, in and of itself, a sexually transmitted infection,” Kemble said. “But it can be spread through close, prolonged contact.”

Kemble said the state is coordinating with federal authorities to ensure access to vaccines and antiviral medicines for those who may be affected by monkeypox in Hawaii.

Those with symptoms consistent with monkeypox should isolate at home, avoid close contact with others and immediately contact their health care provider, she said.

Health care providers have been put on notice to be alert for patients who have monkeypox-like rash illnesses, especially in those with a recent travel history to areas reporting monkeypox cases. Providers also have been told to immediately report suspected cases to the state Health Department.