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Wake County Public Health announces North Carolina’s first confirmed cases of monkeypox in women :: WRAL.com

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By Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Wake County Public Health announced on Thursday the county has two confirmed cases of monkeypox in women.

A county-issued release said they are the first confirmed cases of the virus in women in North Carolina.

“While this global outbreak appears to mostly affect men who have sex with other men, monkeypox is a public health concern for all of us,” said Wake County Preventative Health Director Rebecca Kaufman in the release. “Although there is a low level of risk from just being in the same area as someone who has monkeypox, it is always important to clean surfaces, wear a mask when needed and wash hands frequently.”

Monkeypox is transmitted person-to-person through direct skin-to-skin contact, having contact with an infectious rash, through body fluids or through respiratory secretions. Such contact often occurs during prolonged, face-to-face contact or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling or sex.

On Thursday, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services reported 282 cases of monkeypox in the state, which is an increase compared to 198 cases reported on Aug. 18. Here is a breakdown of the state’s cases:

  • Sex/gender
  • Age
    • 0-17: Two
    • 18-29: 106
    • 30-49: 153
    • 50 years and older: 21
  • Race
    • American Indian/Alaskan Native: Three
    • Asian: One
    • Black or African American: 190
    • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: Zero
    • White: 68
    • Multi-racial: Seven
    • Other: 10
    • Unknown: Three
  • Ethnicity
    • Hispanic: 25
    • Non-Hispanic: 248
    • Unknown: Nine

As of Aug. 25, there are 31 documented cases of the virus confirmed in Wake County.

Monkeypox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and monkeypox is rarely fatal. The symptoms can include a fever and sores that can spread all over the body.

As of Thursday, Wake County Public Health as administered more than 1,300 doses of the vaccine.

Also, North Carolina has two confirmed cases of monkeypox among children as of Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Mecklenburg County Health Department reported North Carolina’s first known pediatric case of monkeypox.

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North Carolina’s first known pediatric case of monkeypox reported in Mecklenburg County :: WRAL.com

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By Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter

The Mecklenburg County Health Department reported the state of North Carolina’s first known pediatric case of monkeypox on Tuesday.

That means someone younger than 18 years of age has tested positive for the virus.

In the past week, North Carolina is adding an average of 11 new monkeypox cases every day.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said the state has 261 cases of monkeypox as of Tuesday. On Aug. 9, the state reported 114 cases. On July 25, North Carolina reported 34 cases.

As of Tuesday, nearly all of the cases in North Carolina are among men other than the lone case in someone under 18.

Black men make up nearly 70% of the cases in the state, but only 26% of those who have been vaccinated in North Carolina. White men make up about 25% of all cases, but 63% of vaccinations.

Health leaders said they are addressing the disparity through targeted vaccination events.

Over the weekend at Charlotte Pride, some 2,000 people got vaccinated against monkeypox.

In North Carolina, four out of every 10 infections are among people who live in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. The virus is spreading mostly among gay and bisexual men and transgender people.

“The reason we are doing this because we do not have enough vaccine,” UNC Health Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. David Wohl. “That’s what concerns me.

“With yet another outbreak, we are behind the eight ball. We didn’t get our act together on a federal level. We didn’t get the vaccine in the country like we should have. Others beat us to the punch and ordered the vaccine.”

Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it would expand its authorization to allow a different way to get a dose of the monkeypox vaccine due to high demand in some parts of the country. Instead of a regular shot, providers can now use an intradermal shot between the layers of skin. The new way of vaccine injection is one-fifth of the original dose.

Wohl said there are three things people can do to protect themselves:

  • Be thoughtful and check your partners for lesions
  • Encourage people who are at high-risk to get a vaccine
  • Monitor for symptoms

“We are seeing a lot of lesions in the genital area or the rectal area, sometimes in the face or other places,” Wohl said.

Wohl said people who attend Pride or other social settings, like bars and concerts, should not be concerned about catching monkeypox. However, he encourages people to monitor for symptoms — like bumps and blisters — and to be thoughtful about sexual partners.

“You have to know your partner,” Wohl said. “If you don’t know them, know them. That means talking.

“Any new lesions? Any new bumps or ulcers that I should know about? If you are going to be intimate with someone, maybe just take a look before you leap and just check each other out. I don’t think that’s off the table.”

Initial symptoms can include fever or pain when swallowing. Symptoms can take one to three weeks to appear.

“Condoms will not protect you from monkeypox given a lesion can be outside the area a condom covers,” Wohl said. “You do have to be thoughtful about it and we don’t know how much shedding occurs before a lesion shows up.”

As of Tuesday, Wake County is reporting 24 cases, Durham County has 11 cases and Cumberland County has nine cases.

The numbers are lower than the 112 cases reported in Mecklenburg County, which remains the center of the outbreak.

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Why Michigan experts say monkeypox is next pandemic, but not next COVID

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ANN ARBOR – As cases of monkeypox continue to grow worldwide, the United States recently declared a national public health emergency amid the outbreak.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 31,800 cases around the world as of Aug. 9. Nearly 99% of those cases were found in countries that had not historically reported monkeypox, according to the CDC.

Two epidemiologists at the University of Michigan recently discussed the disease and the implications of its spread.

Joseph Eisenberg is a professor of epidemiology and an infectious disease epidemiologist who studies environmental determinants of infectious diseases, specifically those that are vector borne or waterborne. Andrew Brouwer is an assistant research scientist in epidemiology who uses statistical and mathematical models to address how infectious disease, cancer and tobacco control impact public health.

The university released the following Q&A with Eisenberg and Brouwer on the topic.

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Should we be worried now that the monkeypox virus (MPV) has been declared a public health emergency in the United States?

Brouwer: MPV has been declared a public health emergency by the World Health Organization, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and some states and localities. These declarations serve to bring attention to the topic, enhance coordinated responses, and make money and resources available. It does not mean that we’re all in imminent danger of being infected.

Is monkeypox going to be the next pandemic?

Eisenberg: Monkeypox is the next pandemic. It is spreading globally through several countries, including the U.S. In the U.S., cases are rapidly increasing into the thousands. It’s a different kind of pandemic than what we see in COVID, however, because it is much less infectious and it is currently affecting a specific risk group that involves very close, intimate contact. And so, yes, it’s a pandemic, but it’s not anything like the COVID pandemic.

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Brouwer: The COVID-19 pandemic has sensitized us to disease transmission. Other outbreaks, such as the hepatitis A epidemic (predominantly 2016-2018, with more than 30,000 cases in the U.S.), received much less attention. That is not to say that we should let the MPV and other outbreaks fly under the radar, but we should have some perspective that outbreaks of various diseases happen all the time and not all are existential threats.

It is good that there is a lot of attention being paid to MPV so that transmission can be interrupted and those infected can be treated. But MPV is not the next COVID.

Unlike SARS-CoV-2, MPV is not spread by casual contact. It is primarily sexually transmitted. It is unlikely to become a widespread epidemic in the broader public, and we should not be too worried about catching it when we’re in public. However, the virus has likely spread to many localities throughout the country, so sexually active individuals should be aware of the signs and discuss MPV with their sexual partners.

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What is monkeypox?

Eisenberg: Monkeypox is a viral disease related to smallpox. It’s different from smallpox in that the disease primarily is spread among nonhuman animals like rodents and primates—what we call a zoonotic disease—and historically has been endemic in central and west Africa, primarily in rainforest areas.

Historically, monkeypox is able to be transmitted from animals to humans with some limited person to person spread. But this new strain is different in that it is now spreading more rapidly through close person-to-person contact and spreading globally throughout different countries in the world. We don’t fully understand why this strain is spreading globally.

How is monkeypox spread?

Eisenberg: This virus is spread through very close contact, often skin to skin. Monkeypox causes lesions and rashes, and the fluid from the lesions and rashes are infectious. It also can be through droplets, that is, droplets that are released through your mouth, through even just talking.

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The virus can, in addition, contaminate objects like fabrics and it can survive there for a period of time, and people can be exposed through touching those objects, but this mode of transmission seems to be rare.

Brouwer: The vast majority of monkeypox transmission is through skin-to-skin sexual contact. Transmission can also occur through nonsexual close contacts and from contaminated objects, typically within a home.

Should we be worried that this is going to spread like COVID-19?

Eisenberg: No. The big difference between monkeypox and COVID is that monkeypox is much less effective in spreading. First of all, it can’t aerosolize into the air and therefore stay in the air for hours or even days like COVID. Second of all, it requires a much higher dose to become infected. So the fact that it’s much less infectious is one reason why monkeypox will not spread in the way we see something like COVID spreading.

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Also, it is thought that only symptomatic individuals that have these rashes and lesions are infectious. As far as we know, people that are infected but presymptomatic cannot transmit the disease. And that’s also very different from COVID, as somebody could be walking around with COVID without any symptoms and be infectious and spread the disease.

What are the symptoms?

Eisenberg: A lot of the initial symptoms of monkeypox are what we call broad spectrum, symptoms like fever, headache, muscle ache, typical respiratory symptoms—types of symptoms that don’t necessarily tell you that it’s monkeypox as opposed to COVID, the flu or common cold. The lesions are what’s the most characteristic symptom of monkeypox. And those lesions are what is diagnostic for a clinician to say, oh, this is monkeypox and not COVID. And that comes sometimes a little later than the first phase of just having your general fever and headache and respiratory symptoms.

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What should someone do if they are experiencing these symptoms?

Eisenberg: If they’re experiencing these symptoms, they should isolate themselves. If they’ve got lesions and rashes, they should separate even within their house, separate themselves from animals, because this can be transmitted to animals as well as family members. And then contacting their physician would be also prudent to see whether or not there are treatments that are available for them.

There’s been some confusion about the spread of this disease, and there has been a lot of focus on the gay and queer communities. Is MPV an STI? Should we be focusing on those communities?

Brouwer: MPV is a sexually transmitted infection. Sexual transmission is not the only mode of transmission, but it is by far the most important one right now. The fact is that 98% of cases worldwide in this epidemic have been in men who have sex with men. To gloss over this fact creates incorrect risk perceptions for both low- and high-risk individuals.

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It is possible to be forthright about who is currently at highest risk and what precautions can be taken without stigmatizing whole populations. In general, public health messaging needs to do a better job of recognizing that diseases create fear responses and that people with infections (of any kind) are often blamed for their infection. We saw this in the COVID-19 pandemic, too.

And how concerned should the public be? Should everyone get the vaccine?

Eisenberg: Only people that have been potentially exposed or have high-risk behaviors or are immunocompromised should be considering getting a vaccine. It’s just not widespread enough to make it something that everybody should be getting.

Brouwer: No, at this point the vaccine should be targeted to high-risk individuals. There is little indication that the outbreak will become epidemic in the larger population. It may become an endemic sexually transmitted infection, however, so continued awareness and education is important.

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So if I go to the grocery store, I most likely won’t get monkeypox?

Eisenberg: Exactly. So that is not the kind of casual contact that can occur and cause transmission for, again, COVID, the flu, common cold, those are all things that you could get if you just went to the grocery store. Monkeypox is much less infectious.

Can you talk about zoonotic diseases and how climate change might impact how often we see these types of diseases coming up?

Eisenberg: Zoonotic diseases are diseases that are coming from nonhuman animals, livestock and even wild animals. Most of the emerging and reemerging pathogens that become human diseases, including all the childhood diseases like measles and smallpox and such, were originally zoonotic. That is, pathogens have been emerging from animals into human populations, ever since the development of agriculture. Agriculture created a situation where there is much more intimate contact with animals.

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What climate change has done is exacerbate the risk of new emerging or reemerging pathogens that we’ve always had. For some pathogens, we will see an expansion of transmission and more intense transmission. For other pathogens, we’ll just see geographic shifts. That is, some locations will have less transmission and in some locations we will have an increasing amount of transmission.

This geographic shift in transmission will be challenging to address. Public health infrastructures will have to be much more nimble and flexible in addressing future risks that may be different than what the risks were in the past. So, again, we should not only be focused on the idea that climate change is going to be increasing the risk of disease, rather that it’s going to be shifting where the high-risk locations are over time.

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Monkeypox Vaccine: Where to Get It | News

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The global monkeypox outbreak is occurring in the gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with multiple male partners. Currently, the risk of contracting monkeypox for the public remains very low.

Vaccination is an important prevention strategy to contain the outbreak. Nonetheless, the supply of monkeypox vaccines continues to be low compared to demand nationwide. However, the region does continue to receive its allocation of monkeypox vaccine from the California Department of Public Health.

Who Is Eligible?

Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention primarily recommends the monkeypox vaccine for people exposed to someone who has been diagnosed with confirmed or probable monkeypox infection and persons with immunocompromising conditions who are at greater risk of developing severe disease or complications if they contract the virus.

Where Is the Vaccine Available?

The 1,550 vaccine doses distributed this week reflect the vaccines allocated, not what remains in stock. Vaccines can be found at the following healthcare systems, federally qualified health centers and clinics by appointment only:

County Public Health Centers and STD clinics also have about 300 doses of vaccine available by appointment only, as well.

Of the 1,550 doses being distributed this week, almost all are to the healthcare providers and clinics above, as well as a county reserve for close contacts of confirmed or probable cases.

Where Is Testing Available?

Testing is widely available through healthcare providers and involves using a swab to sample suspect skin lesions. People with no healthcare provider, who need testing, can call 2-1-1 to be referred to a provider. 2-1-1 is not presently providing vaccination appointments.

What About Second Doses?

The monkeypox vaccine is a two-dose series, administered 28 days apart. Following guidance from the California Department of Public Health, given the low supply of vaccine, the County is presently recommending that first doses be administered to as many eligible people as possible. One dose of the monkeypox vaccine is 80% effective. Second doses will be administered when more vaccine is available.

“Our goal is to get one dose into as many people’s eligible arms as possible,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “When we get more vaccine, we can start giving second doses for even higher efficacy.”

Since late May, the County has received 4,687 doses of monkeypox vaccine. Of those, 3,251 have been distributed and 2,267 have been administered. The number administered might be higher because it takes a few days for the vaccine registry to be updated. As more doses are allotted to the region, the County will expand distribution.

For more information about monkeypox, visit the County’s monkeypox website, which is updated at about 4 p.m. each weekday afternoon. To receive text messages about monkeypox, text COSD MONKEYPOX to 468-311.

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Health officials walk fine line as monkeypox swells within LGBT community

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State and city governments are walking a fine line as they move to confront the monkeypox outbreak, trying to spread awareness of the disease — which has thus far predominantly affected men who have sex with men — while avoiding stigmas.  

“The tightrope you’re trying to walk is making sure that people don’t see it as just a gay men’s illness, but not alarming people so that they use up resources that need to go to the people who need the most right now,” Will Goedel, a professor at the Brown University School of Public Health, told The Hill.  

The first American cases of monkeypox were detected in Massachusetts nearly three months ago, and, on Thursday, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra officially declared monkeypox to be a public health emergency in the United States.

The number of total monkeypox cases in the U.S. has reached more than 7,000, with concentrations in the states of New York, California and Illinois. Each of these states has issued their own emergency orders to distribute resources such as vaccines and testing more efficiently amid growing demand. 

But even in tandem with emergency declarations, officials have been cautious in their messaging.

A nuanced approach

“We know that this virus impacts everyone equally — but we also know that those in our LGBTQ community are at greater risk right now. Many people in our LGBTQ community are scared and frustrated,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed (D) said in a statement last week, after declaring a public health emergency for the city.  

San Francisco public health officer Susan Philip told The Hill in an interview that it is crucial to bring awareness and education to vulnerable communities most at risk.  

“… We have not had confirmed cases yet in children under eight or people who are pregnant; the health of men, gay men, and others and LGBTQ communities is extremely important. And that was — that was a key point that we wanted to message alongside the importance of understanding about monkeypox,” Philip said.  

She added that, in San Francisco, the virus is disproportionately impacting Latinos, making it crucial to strengthen relationships between those communities and the Department of Public Health.  

“It’s really important for us not to stigmatize any groups so that they feel comfortable getting information from us or from community partners, that they understand how they can access services, including vaccine and treatment and testing.”  

Massimo Pacilli, deputy commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health, who is leading the city’s monkeypox strategy, said his focus is on awareness, education and intervention. 

Pacilli said his department’s messaging is based around “ensuring that we don’t blame those who are affected by the virus” and instead make it so “the focus is about protecting and intervening, to kind of interrupt transmission.” 

No more abstinence-only

Part of the effort not to perpetuate social stigma has been a messaging strategy that doesn’t ask members of the LGBT community to limit their sexual partners. This strategy was commonly used by government officials during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in the 1980s and ’90s, when the virus was referred to as the “gay plague.”  

“It’s very easy for a government to want to want to very quickly police same-sex sexual behavior. It’s very — it’s second nature to them,” Brown University’s Goedel said.  

Monkeypox is spread through prolonged contact with its characteristic lesions. While sexual contact is believed to have preceded many infections, authorities have repeatedly stressed that the virus is not a sexually transmitted disease, and contact with sexual fluids is not necessary for it to spread.

Philip noted that adopting abstinence as a public health strategy doesn’t work, and can often be counterproductive because community members will stop listening to other guidance from officials.  

Philip said the Department of Public Health’s outreach includes information how the disease is transmitted, what the virus is and what the symptoms are, how to best protect against transmission, and “the importance of a vaccine.”  

CEO of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation Tyler TerMeer said that his organization has been working with the city’s Department of Public Health closely on messaging that encourages sex positivity.  

“We have a perspective that [it] isn’t our role to tell people what they should or shouldn’t be doing or to tell them to stop having sex with the threat of monkeypox,” TerMeer said, adding his organization is working on messaging that “gives people some concrete tips” on how to stay safe. 

By contrast, the head of the World Health Organization last week recommended that men who have sex with men reduce the number of sexual partners they have “for the moment,” and reconsider having sex with new partners. 

A community primed for viral preparedness 

The LGBT community’s history with the HIV/AIDS epidemic was ugly. As TerMeer puts it, a generation was wiped out because of a lack of response by the federal government.  

“The initial response to HIV in our country is a very complicated and tragic story, one that deserves its own memoir and is truly a stain on American history,” he said. 

The legacy of HIV has led to generations of LGBT community members who are actively engaged in health interventions and preventative care, though experts acknowledge that the community is not “monolithic,” and there are members who may still be apprehensive about vaccines and treatments. 

Public health departments across the country have partnered with organizations such as TerMeer’s to reach members of the community.

Pacilli says these STI and HIV partners are in turn “naturally connected to many community-based organizations and venues that have reached this community as well.” 

“The experiences and learnings from the HIV/AIDS epidemic are many and deep, and they have fundamentally shaped public health, the careers of people who serve in the field, including my own, and the entire approach to how we engage with communities and provide affirming, dignified care,” Ashwin Vasan, commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said in a statement to The Hill. 

“A human rights-based approach that honors people’s dignity is essential and these lessons are hardwired into our planning and execution of the monkeypox response, whatever the operational or logistical challenges,” Vasan said. 

Where the U.S. stands on the monkeypox response now 

The federal government’s response to monkeypox has been fraught as local health departments wait for more vaccines and treatments to become available through the federal government.  

The Biden administration has been hit with criticism from advocates and lawmakers who say that the federal response to the outbreak has been inadequate as the number of cases increase and demand for vaccines and testing soared.  

Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) are among those who’ve voiced concerns. Padilla encouraged top officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Health and Human Services to increase the flow of monkeypox vaccines to his state.  

Thus far, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of an additional 800,000 Jynneos vaccines, a smallpox shot made in Denmark by company Bavarian Nordic that is also used to prevent monkeypox. The FDA has also proposed a way of splitting the Jynneos vaccine into fifths to increase supply of the shot.  

But TerMeer said the damage that has resulted from a slow federal response has already been done.  

“What can’t be overstated in this moment is that monkeypox is causing extreme distress and fear, anxiety and real pain to our community, and that there will be unfortunate lasting consequences to the communities that it’s impacting the most right now because of the federal government’s slow response to the outbreak,” he said. 

Becerra said Thursday as he declared a public health emergency that the White House is prepared to take the U.S. response “to the next level.” With the declaration officially made, resources to combat the spread of monkeypox are expected to become more easily accessible.

The difference that this makes will have to be seen.

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More than 550 vaccinated at Wake County monkeypox clinic :: WRAL.com

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By Adam Owens, WRAL anchor/reporter

Raleigh, N.C. — A monkeypox vaccine clinic in Wake County accommodated 559 people Saturday, running out of all doses available for the event.

The Public Health clinic was supposed to run until 3 p.m., but the county said it was vaccinating those in line until past 4 p.m.

Some lined up hours before the first shot was administered.

Count Christopher Ellis among them.

“I know demand is high, particularly in wake county,” said Ellis. “It’s important to protect yourself and protect the people around you.”

Wake County Public Health set aside 550 vaccine doses for this clinic. Ellis wanted to be sure to get one

Concern around monkeypox is growing with the number of infections. There are 95 cases across our state.

Preventative health director Rebecca Kaufman said in Wake County “we are seeing spread, we are up to 11 cases.”

At the moment, the vaccines are going to those considered most at risk.

“Right now most of the cases are in men who have sex with men,” said Kaufman. “We know that can change quickly.”

If monkeypox continues to spread, more people may be considered for a vaccine.

For health workers still fighting COVID-19, monkeypox adds to the heavy workload.

At the same time, COVID has shown them how to take on a challenge like this one.

“We are going to use those lessons learned and apply them to the monkeypox vaccine,” said Kaufman.

Wake County officials told WRAL News they have more monkeypox vaccines doses on hand.

Starting Monday, people can sign up for an appointment to get one by calling 919-212-9398 or heading to the county’s website.

The monkeypox vaccine administered at Wake County’s vaccine clinic requires two doses.

People who got their first shot Saturday, must get another one in four weeks.

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Duke Health experts say monkeypox cases will keep rising in NC :: WRAL.com

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By Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina added nine new cases of monkeypox on Friday, bringing the state close to 100 cases since the outbreak began.

Duke Health experts say they expect that number to keep rising.

Almost all of the cases are among men who have sex with other men – but doctors believe it’s only a matter of time before more women and children are infected, too. Monkeypox is spreading by close, often intimate, skin-to-skin contact.

“If we compare this to COVID, which was overwhelmingly a respiratory infection, this is orders of magnitude less infectious,” said Dr. Cameron Wolfe, Infectious Disease Specialist at Duke Health.

Even though it’s spreading mostly among gay and bisexual men, Wolfe says monkeypox should be on everyone’s radar.

“There is nothing about the way the virus moves that cares about your gender, who you love, or who you hang out with,” he said. “There’s no reason that this needs to stay in those populations.”

Monkeypox transmission in households and schools

Pediatrician Dr. Ibukun Kalu expects household transmission, but not transmission in daycares and schools.

“Children with a history of inflammation of the skin, specifically dermatitis or eczema may more be more likely to have moderate or severe presentation,” he said.

Vaccinations available in North Carolina

The virus starts with a fever, followed by rashes and painful blisters that take 2 to 3 weeks to heal.

To help combat the outbreak, the state is getting thousands more doses of the monkeypox vaccine. However, metrics show less than a quarter of the shots have gone into arms.

Doctors say the vaccines can prevent infection. Right now, North Carolina has gotten more than 10,000 doses. However, only around 2,200, or 22%, have been administered.

Wake County has 550 doses available, and right now those are only for those deemed high-risk – a group which includes gay and bisexual men who have had multiple or anonymous sex partners in the last 3 months.

“I think we need to think about things from a health equity lens and ensure we are reaching the right people, that we are moving at the pace we need to move,” said Dr. Vincent Guilamo-Ramos, Dean of the Duke University School of Nursing.

Doctors say those already vaccinated against smallpox likely have some protection against monkeypox – but it’s unclear how much and those people at-risk are encouraged to get the newer vaccine.

On Saturday, Wake County is holding a free, walk-in vaccine clinic from 10 to 3 at the Health Center on Sunnybrook Road.

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Philadelphia man with monkeypox shares story, as cases climb across Delaware Valley

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PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Monkeypox cases are on the rise across the Delaware Valley and the nation.

Larry Jackson III, 29, of North Philadelphia, said after multiple doctor visits he recently found out he had monkeypox.

“It still hurts, like some of the bumps hurt,” said Jackson.

He said it’s been a painful fight for days.

Jackson is now staying home for three weeks hoping the virus will run its course. But, at first, he said he wasn’t sure what was making him so sick.

SEE ALSO: Monkeypox and children | What to know about testing, symptoms, treatments and more

“Swollen lymph node, my throat was swollen, my body was aching,” said Jackson.

As of August 1, Philadelphia has had 82 confirmed monkeypox cases, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

There have been 170 confirmed cases in Pennsylvania, 155 in New Jersey and five in Delaware, according to the CDC.

A doctor told Action News the number of cases both locally and across the country are increasing.

“I think that’s why most healthcare providers are taking it seriously, we’re being proactive about testing people now that testing availability has increased really significantly over the last couple of weeks,” said Eric Sachinwalla, Medical Director for Infection Prevention, Einstein Healthcare Network.

SEE ALSO: UN health agency declares monkeypox a global emergency, disease now found in 70 countries

He said it’s important to monitor symptoms.

“Stay home, talk to your healthcare provider, they can probably help guide you on the best way to get tested,” said Sachinwalla.

He added if you’ve been exposed, but don’t have symptoms, “You don’t have to quarantine, but contact the department of health, especially if you know the other person has monkeypox because you might be eligible for a vaccine.”

On Wednesday, eight more cases were confirmed in Bucks County.

Jeanne Franklin, the director of the Chester County Health Department said they have enough vaccines for now.

“But we don’t know what this is going to look like, like in terms of how quickly it will spread and how many close contacts we’ll have,” said Franklin.

She said any time the county can order more vaccines, they will.

“Right now the vaccine is prioritized for post-exposure, so those close contacts. We’d love enough vaccine to do pre-exposure which we’re just not there,” said Franklin.

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Monkeypox Chicago: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker declares monkeypox a public health emergency

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CHICAGO (WLS) — Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker declared monkeypox a public health emergency Monday to help coordinate a statewide response.

Declaring the state a “disaster area” allows the Illinois Dept. of Public Health to better coordinate with other state agencies and the federal government on vaccine distribution and disease prevention.

Illinois currently has the 3rd highest number of cases in the United States, according to governor’s office.

MONKEYPOX | Everything you need to know about symptoms, spread, treatment and vaccines

As of Friday, there are 330 monkeypox cases in Chicago, where the focus continues to be getting vaccines to those who are at higher risk, despite low supplies.

TPAN in Edgewater had 100 doses of the monkeypox vaccine and they were accounted for quickly Monday. People lined up even before the clinic opened.

“I don’t want put anybody I love at risk,” Carlos Alfaro said. “If I get the virus, I can bring it home, so that’s a major concern for me.”

“I think the LGBT community is more vocal about diseases but that said,” Luis Castello said, “I think all of us need to learn from our community. And everyone straight, however you identify, you have to be cautious.”

Chris Mooney lives on Chicago’s South Side but came to the North Side location after doing his own research to find vaccine.

“Really a lot of the clinics and places offering the vaccine were on the North Side,” Mooney said, “and then for figuring out do you have to book an appointment, is it walk in, first come/first serve?”

In Hyde Park, the Center for HIV Elimination has been doing outreach and continues to do so with its mobile unit to try and share information with those who may not be able to easily access monkeypox vaccination clinics, especially those with compromised immune systems.

“Because their immune system may not be the healthiest in terms of responding to that,” said Noel Green, manager of outreach at Center for HIV Elimination. “Making sure they are aware before they are prepared and vaccinated before they are introduced is critical to their survival.”

The center is planning more outreach and vaccination events depending on the availability of vaccine.

Full statement from Mayor Lori Lightfoot and CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady

“This emergency declaration brings a necessary, increased focus to the Monkeypox (MPV) outbreak we’re seeing here in Chicago, across our state, and around the country. Since the beginning of this outbreak, the Chicago Department of Public Health has been working diligently with clinical and community partners to raise awareness and vaccinate residents at increased risk and will continue to do so. Ultimately, however, we need more support from the federal level to fully address the threat MPV presents to our city. It is our hope that this declaration joins a chorus of others across the nation and encourages the rapid increase and distribution ofvaccines. This declaration will allow the state to use emergency procurement powers and to directly involve other state agencies, like Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), in the response statewide. Chicago does not need a separate emergency declaration as we are covered by the state one, and in addition, we already have a local emergency procurement process; a strong local distribution network; and a diverse group of clinical and community partners working to raise awareness and vaccinate Chicagoans at increased risk.”

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Health

Monkeypox News: NYC Health Department declares a public health emergency

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NEW YORK (WABC) — The New York City Health Department declared monkeypox a Public Health Emergency on Saturday.

The moves gives New York City Mayor Eric Adams more leeway in fighting the virus.

The city is working with ‘every level of government’ to receive more doses of the monkeypox vaccine, slow the spread of the virus and keep New Yorkers safe.

This comes after Governor Kathy Hochul declared a ‘disaster emergency’ in the State of New York in response to the monkeypox outbreak.

“After reviewing the latest data on the monkeypox outbreak in New York State, I am declaring a State Disaster Emergency to strengthen our aggressive ongoing efforts to confront this outbreak,” Governor Hochul said. “More than one in four monkeypox cases in this country are in New York State, and we need to utilize every tool in our arsenal as we respond,” said Hochul.

“The vast majority of cases are spreading through sexual contact, and the vast majority of cases (are) among men who have sex with men,” Dr. Mary Bassett said. “This is the community that we both want to protect from stigma and also sound the alarm.”

Two people have died in Spain and Brazil, the first reported deaths from this outbreak outside of Africa.

New York City, the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States, is getting 80,000 doses of the vaccine — but some say it’s not enough.

“We’ve been calling on more and more vaccine to be made available to the city because we are definitely the epicenter of this,” New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said. “We make up more than 25% of the cases in the country and so we need a supply of vaccine that’s commensurate with that level of impact.”

The U.S. has more than 4,600 total cases of monkeypox, about a third of them in New York state.

The Biden administration is also considering declaring monkeypox a public health emergency, following in the steps of the World Health Organization.

RELATED | LGBTQ activists call on Biden to address the rapid rise in monkeypox cases

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