Second US city declares monkeypox a public health emergency. The ‘epicenter’ is NYC
The second city in the U.S. to declare the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency is the country’s most populated — New York City.
Officials called the city the “epicenter” of the virus’ spread on July 30 in a statement announcing the declaration, which immediately went into effect.
“This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment,” a joint statement by NYC Mayor Eric Adams and city health commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan said.
They estimated 150,000 New Yorkers may be at risk for becoming infected with monkeypox, which can lead to a potentially painful and itchy rash.
San Francisco became the first U.S. city to make an emergency declaration in response to monkeypox on July 28, a news release said. While NYC’s is currently in effect, San Francisco’s goes into effect on August 1.
There were 5,189 cases of monkeypox throughout the U.S. as of July 29, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is 4,000 more cases than in mid-July when slightly more than 1,000 were recorded, McClatchy News previously reported.
The highest number of cases is in New York state, where 1,345 had been recorded as of July 29, according to the agency. Cases have not yet been detected in Montana, Wyoming and Vermont, CDC data show.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency through an executive order in response to monkeypox’s spread on July 29, one day prior to NYC’s emergency declaration, according to a news release.
More than one in four monkeypox cases are in the state, Hochul estimated.
“It’s especially important to recognize the ways in which this outbreak is currently having a disproportionate impact on certain at-risk groups,” Hochul said in a statement.
Who is at risk of contracting monkeypox?
Anyone in close contact with an individual or animal infected with monkeypox is at increased risk of contracting it, according to the United Nations.
Those who have a particularly “high risk” are individuals living with infected persons or health care workers, the agency said online.
A number of monkeypox cases have been identified within gay and bisexual communities and among men who have sex with men, the World Health Organization said in a May 25 news release.
However, “it is important to note that the risk of monkeypox is not limited to men who have sex with men,” the agency said.
Monkeypox was called a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the director of the WHO on July 23 , according to a news release. Most reported cases across the globe have been found in Europe.
How does it spread?
Monkeypox spreads after direct contact with bodily fluids, rashes or “respiratory secretions” from an infected person, according to the CDC.
Additionally, the virus can be spread by touching materials and surfaces that an infected person has touched, including fabrics, bedsheets and more, the agency reports online.
The CDC says it also spreads during intimate contact with an infected person, such as hugging, kissing and oral, anal or vaginal sex.
Monkeypox is a zoonotic disease, meaning it is spread from animals to humans, and has been identified in certain monkey species, tree squirrels, dormice and more, according to the WHO, McClatchy News previously reported.
A person can get monkeypox from an infected animal if they are “scratched or bitten” or “by preparing or eating meat or using products from an infected animal,” according to the CDC.
The CDC reports other symptoms of the virus, alongside a rash, include:
Fever
Headache
Muscle aches
Swollen lymph nodes
Chills
Fatigue
Monkeypox vaccine
“My team and I are working around the clock to secure more vaccines, expand testing capacity and responsibly educate the public on how to stay safe during this outbreak,” New York Gov. Hochul said in a statement.
Nearly 2 million doses of one approved monkeypox vaccine, Jynneos, is expected to be available in the country later this year, the Department of Health and Human Services announced on July 7, McClatchy News previously reported.
This vaccine is in limited supply and preferred for more people because the alternative, ACAM2000, which the U.S. has an “ample” supply of, should not be used in those with certain health conditions, according to the CDC. This vaccine has already been historically used against smallpox.
As of July 27, HHS has delivered 336,710 Jynneos vaccine doses to local jurisdictions throughout the country, according to the agency.
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