Category: Monkey Pox

Two doses of monkeypox vaccine planned for high-risk communities

The White House announced an equity intervention pilot program aimed at ensuring vaccines reach high-risk individuals facing barriers to access.

STAFF VIDEO, USA TODAY

In May, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention began tracking the number of Americans who test positive for monkeypox.Since then, social media users have made falseassertions about everything from the virus'relation to theCOVID-19 vaccine to who can contract the monkeypox virus.

ANov. 2 Instagram postmakes an even broader assertion.

"So...Monkey Pox Just Disappeared," says the post, which accrued more than 100 likes in five days.

But the claim is baseless. Experts told USA TODAY the virus still exists, and the CDC is still reporting positive cases. The number of cases, though, has dropped from earlier this yeardue to increased immunity and vaccinations.

USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the post for comment.

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U.S. cases of monekypox have dramatically decreased from their summer peak, according to Dr. Mark Slifka, a vaccinologist at Oregon Health & Science University.

As of Nov. 9, the CDCsaid therewere23 reported cases in the U.S., a fraction of the case numbers from the summer, when atone point more than 500 Americans had the virus.

But despite thatdecrease,the virus still exists domestically and internationally, Dr. Scott Roberts,an infectious disease specialist at Yale Medicine,told USA TODAY.

Cases began decreasing after public health officials spread the word about how individuals could reduce therisk of infection by changingtheirbehavior, Slifka said. Combing that with rising immunity levels and increased vaccinationsled to thereduction in monkeypox numbers, according to Slifka.

It's possible monkeypox could disappear at some point, though, experts say.

Because the virus is less transmissiblethan other viruses, if individuals continue to reduce their riskby getting vaccinated, there is a chance the virus will run out of new targets and disappear from the global arena, Slifka said.

Roberts agreed.

"There is a decent probability monkeypox will be eradicated in the U.S.given the trajectory things have been going these past few months, hesaid.

Fact check: No, a misused photo of shingles does not prove monkeypox is a hoax

Based on our research, we rate FALSEthe claim that monkeypox disappeared. While the number of cases has decreased in recent months, according to CDC data, people are still testing positive for monkeypox.

Thank you for supporting our journalism.You cansubscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here.

Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.

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Fact check: Americans continue to spread monkeypox at reduced rates

Port Arthur Health Department Director to speak on COVID, HIV and Monkey Pox - Port Arthur News  The Port Arthur News

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Port Arthur Health Department Director to speak on COVID, HIV and Monkey Pox - Port Arthur News - The Port Arthur News

Monkey pox The Island  The Island.lk

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Monkey pox The Island - The Island.lk

Human monkeypox virus, a double-stranded DNA virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus of the Poxviridae family with two genetic clades identified as West African and Central African [1]. First detected in 1958 when there was an outbreak of a vesicular disease among monkeys held in captivity being transported from Africa to Copenhagen, Denmark for research. The first case of monkeypox in humans was seen in a 9-year-old child belonging to the rural area of Zaire in August 1970, having smallpox-like vesicular lesions on the skin [1]. There have been reports of imported sporadic cases in Singapore, the UK, and the US from 2018 until recently in 2022, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic [2], an outbreak of monkeypox cases in the UK, other European and non-European countries was reported with confirmed cases of 2677 up to June 21, 2022 [3].

It is still not understood how the virus is transmitted to humans. It is assumed that the primary source of infection transmission is from animals to humans by handling monkeypox-infected animals. Secondary human-human transmission occurs through large respiratory droplets, contact with bodily fluids, lesions, and polluted surfaces such as clothing or linens [1,4]. Currently, many cases in the ongoing outbreak have been traced to sexual transmission, particularly among men who identify as gay or bisexual [5]. Initial symptoms begin with fever, headache, fatigue, and lymphadenopathy. Mucosal lesions in the mouth followed by lesions of skin on the face and extremities develop after 12 days. The lesions may vary in number from a small amount to thousands and may or may not spread to other parts of the body [6]. However, monkeypox cases reported in the current ongoing outbreak are atypical in nature with the characteristic rash developing in the genital and perianal areas with or without spreading to other body parts [7].

Even though, there is no specific treatment for monkeypox, the smallpox antivirals such as cidofovir, brincidofovir, and tecovirimat show activity against monkeypox with the latter two drugs having US FDA approval for use in treating smallpox. Most likely these medications would be reserved for treating severe cases or immunocompromised individuals and can be obtained through a public health department or the CDC [8]. The smallpox vaccines are believed to be effective in preventing monkeypox and as postexposure prophylaxis. JYNNEOS, which is a new generation smallpox vaccine, has an FDA indication for preventing monkeypox, and the older generation ACAM2000 used off-label can be used as well. Immediate post-exposure administration of the prophylactic vaccine can avoid infection or significantly reduce it. Alternative postexposure prophylaxis is vaccinia immune globulin in cases where the smallpox vaccine is contraindicated [8]. JYNNEOS vaccine can be administered in two doses, 28 days apart [9], and ACAM2000, which is a replication-competent live vaccinia virus vaccine can be administered as a single dose [10].

In conclusion, with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, monkeypox poses a great threat and has the potential to become a pandemic but with proper preventive strategies, the chances of containment of this disease increase to a great extent. Monkeypox, like most other viral infections, has symptomatic treatment. Educating patients and healthcare workers in areas where this disease is endemic is of utmost importance. People with knowledge about monkeypox can practice social distancing and other preventive strategies such as wearing a mask, washing hands regularly, and practicing safe sex. Healthcare workers with adequate knowledge about this disease can devise treatment plans and diagnostic strategies to help curb this virus among the masses. The infected individual must remain in isolation, wear a surgical mask, and keep the lesions covered as much as reasonably possible until all lesion crusts have naturally fallen off and a new skin layer has formed. Hospitals in endemic areas must acquire vaccines and medicines in time and make them available to the o masses. Government should encourage people to get vaccinated and educate and aware the general population about this through numerous social media platforms including TV, social media platforms, and messages on mobile phones. In areas where access to these things is lesser, mass campaigns need to be organized and people need to be taught in simple language, easy to understand.

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Monkey pox: A public health emergency - PMC

(Sarpy County, NE) -- The first case of the monkeypox virus is confirmed in the Sarpy/Cass Health Department jurisdiction.

The Health Department says the case was diagnosed in a man, 35-44 years old, who is a Sarpy County resident. The department says the man is isolating at home and a contact investigation is underway to inform people who may have been exposed.

The risk to the public continues to remain low, but anyone with a characteristic monkeypox rash that looks like pimples or blisters should contact their healthcare provider. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and exhaustion. Monkeypox can spread to anyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Monkeypox is spread through close and personal skin-to-skin contact with an infected persons rash, scabs, body fluids, respiratory secretions, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex. Some people have been infected by handling objects such as clothing or linens used by a person with monkeypox.

Antivirals that are used to treat smallpox may be used to help patients with a monkeypox infection. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), nearly 27,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the United States and 31 cases have been reported in the state of Nebraska.

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Sarpy County announces its first case of Monkey Pox - iHeart

Drag Recording Artist Helps Bring SoCal Together to Donate to LA Black, Asian, Hispanic and Jewish Workers while Promoting Vaccine Awareness

Press Release - Aug 30, 2022

LOS ANGELES, August 30, 2022 (Newswire.com) - SoCal drag recording artist Jackette Knightley's dance album, Neon Love, drops this September in time for LGBTQ+ Pride events and the upcoming holiday season. It's a timely release, as SoCal entertainment concert events are in full swing post-pandemic restrictions. Following all CDC guidelines to prevent resurgence and the increasing spread of Monkey Pox, vaccination location info will be available during all Jackette Knightley Neon Love performances.

Serendipitously, Neon Love streams upbeat dance anthems and memorable lyrics while depicting resiliency in the face of adversity. It includes The National Anthem - a Labor Day favorite and previously released dance single.

After performing the opening act for West Hollywood Pride Music Festival, Ms. Knightley states, "It's an honor to share Neon Love with LGBTQ+ communities and beyond." Touring across SoCal, she'll appear at Rocco's for Labor Day weekend, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2022 (WEST HOLLYWOOD). And she'll perform Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, at Arceo Park as Host of San Gabriel Valley's LGBTQ+ Pride Music Event (EL MONTE).

Host of this summer's West Hollywood Pride Music Festival and Dragged Out Show at Rocco's Nightclub, Billy Francesca notes, "We fully support SGV Pride in bringing its community and surrounding SoCal areas together. Jackette Knightley will make it happen. Together, we always put the unity in community. We loved having her as our opening act at Weho Pride. And we're excited for her to kick off our Rocco's Labor Day festivities."

SGV Pride sponsor 340 Nightclub is the largest LGBTQ+ complex in SGV, offering sensational drag shows, outstanding go-go dancers, and the hottest nightlife each week. It's also one of Jackette Knightley's favorite performance venues. 340 Nightclub owner, Wesley Hull, chimes, "You'll always find us at the heart of local LGBTQ+ entertainment. We go where the love is. There's only one race, the human race. Ms. Knightley makes that clear with Neon Love and SGV Pride."

From September - October 2022, all Neon Love proceeds will go to LA Pride performers, LA's Black Worker Center, KIWA KoreaTown Immigrant Worker Alliance, UFW Foundation for migrant farm workers and The Jewish Federation. It's available everyplace music is sold starting Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022, including Youtube and Amazon.

Ms. Knightley will continue her SoCal Neon Love Tour as she hosts Burbank's first LGBTQ+ celebration at a family-friendly fun zone called, "Ms. Knightley's Kids Zone", when Burbank Pride presents Family Pride in the Park at Magnolia Park's Nights Out on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022, from 6pm - 9pm (BURBANK). Additional performance dates are: Anchor Line Bar's Hide Away Show on Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, and Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022 (LAGUNA); and The Boulevard Bar's Bloom Bloom Show on Friday, Oct. 14, 2022 (PASADENA).

Source: Jackette Knightley Entertainment

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Preventing Monkey Pox and Bringing Unity to Community at SoCal LGBTQ+ ...

A Northwell Health staff member holds the monkeypox vaccine, at Cherry Grove on Fire Island, New York, where monkey pox vaccines were administered on July 14, 2022.

James Carbone | Newsday | Getty Images

Health authorities in Ohio reported the death of an adult male who had monkeypox, the third fatality in the United States of someone who tested positive for that virus since the outbreak began in May.

The unidentified man had other health conditions, according to the state's health department, which announced his death late Thursday.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a health alert to physicians Thursday warned that people who have compromised immune systems due to HIV and other conditions face a higher risk of developing severe symptoms from the virus.

The U.S. had the largest monkeypox outbreak in the world, with more than 25,000 cases reported across all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico, according to CDC data.

The outbreak has started to slow as the two-dose Jynneos vaccine has become more widely available, and people have become more aware of what precautions to take to avoid infection.

Los Angeles health officials confirmed earlier this month that an individual with a severely compromised immune system died from monkeypox after being hospitalized.

Texas health officials reported in late August that an adult in the Houston area diagnosed with monkeypox had died. That person also had a severely compromised immune system. The cause of death in that case is still under investigation.

While monkeypox is rarely fatal it causes a rash resembling blisters that can be extremely painful.

The virus is primarily spreading among gay and bisexual men through close contact during sex. But anyone can catch the disease through close contact with someone who is infected or with contaminated materials.

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In a study published earlier this month, the CDC found that 38% of 2,000 people diagnosed with monkeypox were living with HIV. And people with HIV were more likely to become hospitalized with monkeypox than other patients, according to the study.

The CDC, in its health alert this week, warned of severe monkeypox symptoms that include a persistent rash that turns into lesions resulting in the affected tissue dying. In some cases, treatment has required surgery and even amputation of the affected extremity, according to the agency.

Other severe symptoms include lesions that cover a significant portion of the body that are associated with secondary bacterial or fungal infections. Extremely painful lesions in sensitive areas such as the throat, urethra, rectum and vagina have also been reported.

Some lesions cause scarring that results in the narrowing of the urethra or anal canal, according to CDC. Facial scarring has also been reported.

In other instances, multiple organ systems have been affected resulting in neurological conditions such as encephalitis and cardiac conditions like myocarditis. Pink eye and ulcers on the cornea that threaten people's sight have also been reported.

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Ohio reports third U.S. death of person with monkeypox who had underlying health conditions - CNBC

ROCHESTER, N.Y. So you think youre getting kicked out of here because you tested positive for Monkey pox? I asked the woman.

Correct, thats what the note said, she answered.

Thursday morning a woman whose identity we are not revealing says she was kicked out of her temporary shelter for domestic violence because she tested positive for monkey pox. She said a Gates Police officer was at her door and she had 15 minutes to grab everything she and her two children owned and leave.

On her door was a notice from the hotel where the Monroe County Department of Human Services put her up. The notice gave the women until 11 a.m. Thursday to leave her shelter. The handwritten part of the notice said Due to your medical condition.

Hi yall. This is my room and my kids room, the woman said in a cell phone video she recorded Thursday morning.

She lived in a hotel room with her two children for about a week. She says the county department of human services put them here while she was on the Willow Domestic Violence Centers waiting list for a long term shelter.

How long do I have sir? she asked a hotel employee in the hallway.In the video, the hotel employee pushed her deadline to just after noon. When she got her car packed with everything she owned she met me at the property next door. She told me when she tested positive for monkey pox Thursday morning she alerted the county DHS staff at the hotel.

Brean: Sometime after that the notice was on your door.

Woman: As soon as I told the DHS workers downstairs they told me to go upstairs and go to your room and we will figure it out from there. Fifteen minutes after that there was a notice on my door to vacate immediately due to illness.I called the hotel and spoke to a manager. She told me the county removed the woman. The county closed her out the manager said on the phone.

County spokesman Gary Walker told me DHS would never end a placement for medical reasons. We dont do that, he said. Under no circumstances would we remove someone for medical reasons.

Im not revealing the hotel because its a temporary shelter for domestic violence victims, but I can tell you the notice on the door said the motel has ended your stay.

I called DHS and told them I was calling you, Channel 10 news because you cant put two kids out, you cant put us out like that. Its not right, she said. Once I mentioned channel 10 news they found me a new place.

When the woman was removed she was already under a 14 day quarantine order. The county says as soon as they were notified she was ordered to leave, they found her a new shelter. The woman told me she is in her new place and feels safe.

The county is still looking into why this woman was ordered to leave.

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Domestic violence victim tested positive for Monkeypox and got kicked out of her temporary shelter - News10NBC

Plateau State has confirmed seven cases of Monkey Pox virus from the latest report.

The state epidemiologist, Mrs. Martina Nuwan stated this yesterday in her office in Jos, while giving an update on the spread of the virus in the state.

Nuwan said out of the 24 suspected samples they took, seven were confirmed positive while the results of two that were taken on Thursday were still pending.

She said there was a call from Bassa Local Government Area (LGA) of the state on a suspected case, which the states surveillance team is handling currently.

According to her, all the seven cases were treated at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH), Jos and the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), with no death recorded.

She said though the primary source of transmission of the virus is from animals, the secondary source of transmission is from humans and contaminated environments like surfaces and clothes of an infected person.

She stated that everybody is vulnerable to Monkey Pox disease, including infants and the aged, saying that research has shown that most of the people that were infected by the virus are between the ages of 30 and 50 years.

Generally, she added, the male has the highest number of infection compared to their female counterpart, but most of the victims in Plateau State, are females.

She said Monkey Pox symptoms are not different from most of the viral diseases, saying that there were some clinical manifestations like fever, weakness of the body and the most topical one is rash on the face of an infected person before spreading to other parts of the body.

It can be all over the body, but 95% is found on the face, she further added.

The epidemiologist said, some precautionary measures that people need to take against contacting the virus are to avoid direct contact with animals and people with manifestations of the symptoms, and also avoid contact with beddings and other materials contaminated with the virus.

She advised infected persons to isolate themselves when such symptoms are manifesting and encouraged people to always go to hospital when they discovered any abnormalities in their body.

On the cure for the virus, Nuwan said for there is no vaccine for the virus but it is believed that the Small Pox vaccine could also prevent the Monkey Pox since they are similar virus, and is curable.

Nuwan said the state government through Ministry of Health has an Enhance Surveillance Team and the Public Health Emergency Response Centre that are coordinating emerging and reemerging diseases like the Monkey Pox.

World Health Organisation declared monkey Pox a public health emergency of international concern this year.

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Plateau records 7 cases of Monkey Pox virus

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 27, 2022)The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) has alerted the health care industry to a monkeypox-themed phishing campaign targeting health care providers, including home health agencies. Health care companies that fail to adequately protect their patient's private health information and violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) could face fines from the Office of Civil Rights and/or prosecution from their state attorney general's office.

In the alert, HC3 said the phishing attempt carried a subject ofData from (Victim Organization Abbreviation): "Important read about -Monkey Pox (Victim Organization) (Reference Number)." If someone tries to download the attached pdf, it launches a program that tries to harvestOutlook, O365 or other mail credentials.

The alert recommends organizations implement certain protective actions such as:

This alert reminds us that our cyber adversaries, foreign-based criminal gangs and hostile nation-state intelligence services, continue to prey on our culture of care by sending phishing emails based upon current urgent health care issues, said John Riggi, the American Hospital Associations national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. These insidious emails targeting well-intentioned health care workers lure the recipients to click on malicious links, download malware and provide credentials, ultimately leading to the theft of patient data or hospital funds.

Last week, the FBI issued an alert identifying a scheme in which stolen employee credentials were being used to divert and steal millions of dollars in hospital funds, Riggi continued. In this multi-faceted and complex cyber threat environment, multi-factor authentication, phishing tests and verbal authentication for payment instruction changes are essential.

Read more about protecting your business from cyber threats here.

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HHS Alerts Health Sector to Monkeypox-Themed Phishing Campaign - HomeCare