WARRENTON, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- The Rappahannock-Rapidan Health District is keeping an eye on monkeypox, even though the current community risk is low.

RRHD says it now has a limited supply of the vaccine available for people in its area that are interested in getting a dose.

The Virginia Department of Health says a monkeypox infection can cause rashes and other flu-like symptoms.

This virus does not normally appear in the United States, but the U.S. is one of several dozen countries experiencing outbreaks this year around the world.

As of Tuesday, there have been 278 cases of the virus in Virginia resulting in 10 hospitalizations.

Most of the cases have been in Northern Virginia and all but two of the cases have been reported in men.

Across the country, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports there have been more than 15,400. No deaths have been reported in the U.S.

Globally, there have been nearly 43,000 cases of the virus, with more than 42,500 of them occurring in areas where monkeypox is not normally seen.

VDH says monkeypox is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact with rash lesions, intimate contact such as kissing, sharing a bed with someone, sharing utensils or unwashed clothing, and respiratory secretions.

Close contact exposure is defined as being within six feet for more than three hours.

VDH also says the virus is not spread through casual, brief conversations or by walking past someone who has it.

People who live in RRHD's service area that would like to get a dose of vaccine should call (540) 308-6072.

For more information on monkeypox in Virginia, click here. For more on the virus from the CDC, click here.