Spike in Southern California Monkeypox Cases Sparks New Warning – Newsweek

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department issued a warning on Monday alerting residents to an uptick in Mpox (Monkeypox) cases, calling it a "concerning increase."

According to the news release, the Public Health Department said, "The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is alerting residents and health care providers about a concerning increase in mpox cases, with 10 new cases reported in Los Angeles County in the past two weeks up from an average of less than two cases per week during the preceding several weeks."

Read more: What Is a Health Savings Account?

The virus can be spread through close contact or by "respiratory droplets" which could include kissing, sneezing, or coughing, the LA Public Health Department says.

Monkeypox virus symptoms may be a rash on a person's hands or feet, face, chest or genital areas the Center for Disease Control says. The "incubation period" for the virus is between three to 17 days, the CDC says, and a person could feel normal and exhibit no symptoms. A person may also experience a headache, chills, fever, and respiratory issues the CDC says.

The LA Public Health Department also said in the release that "Early detection, testing and vaccination are vital to controlling the spread of this disease and protecting the health of Los Angeles County residents."

Read more: Compare the Top Health Savings Account (HSA) Providers

Newsweek reached out to the Los Angeles Public Health Department on Friday afternoon via email for comment and they responded saying the news release has the "most current information."

The LA County Public Health Department also listed recommendations for residents in the news release amid the increase in cases. The recommendations include getting testing if a person is exhibiting symptoms, asking a partner if they have symptoms of the virus, and getting the two-dose Jynneos vaccine.

Community leaders along with the Public Health Department are working together to "address" the "resurgence as swiftly and effectively as possible," the release says.

"Enhanced surveillance, contact tracing and outbreak investigations are underway to identify potential sources of the infection and prevent further transmission," the release notes. "Public Health's mobile vaccination units are providing free vaccination at numerous Pride events this season, Public Health's sexual health clinics found at http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/chs/sexualhealthclinics/ and other walk-up vaccine clinics can be found at https://myturn.ca.gov/."

Meanwhile, the CDC posted to X, formerly Twitter, in May alerting health care professionals that summer gatherings could potentially lead to new cases of the virus. "Clinicians: summer gatherings could lead to new cases of mpox. Talk to your patients about the JYNNEOS vaccine. Two doses are more effective than one."

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Continued here:

Spike in Southern California Monkeypox Cases Sparks New Warning - Newsweek