With monkeypox cases reaching nearly 700 people infected across the U.S., public health officials are taking key steps in educating the public on this new disease.
“We expect this is something that’s starting to circulate in the region,” said Nigel Turner, director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department’s communicable disease control division in a press release. “And that’s why we want to make sure people have the information they need to stay safe and healthy and what they can do to protect themselves.”According to a news release
, a man in his 30s tested positive for Orthopoxvirus on Saturday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are working to confirm whether the man has the monkeypox virus. Dr. Keith Jerome, the director of the University of Washington virology lab, says that the risks of catching monkey pox are much lower compared to COVID-19 because it spreads through direct contact rather then airborne transmission.
“So monkeypox is typically spent by very close skin to skin contact. So in terms of, you know, just being on the bus, and you know, there’s a lot of people around and it’s in the air, this is a completely different thing. It really does require direct contact. So if people can avoid that people really shouldn’t be at risk.
There is also a vaccine already developed for monkeypox, since the disease is so closely related to smallpox which has been eradicated for over 50 years. Unfortunately, Jerome says, no one has been vaccinated against smallpox since 1972 leaving the population still vulnerable.“Nothing’s going to be able to sneak up on us as easily as it could have five years ago.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Tesla rival Rivian plans to cut about 700 jobs: BloombergInsider tells the global tech, finance, markets, media, healthcare, and strategy stories you want to know.
Read more »
NYC monkeypox cases double again; officials hold town hallMonkeypox cases in New York City are rising exponentially. The number of likely cases has yet again doubled in a week.
Read more »
Tarrant County reports first monkeypox caseTarrant County has reported its first monkeypox case, Tarrant County Public Health announced on Monday.
Read more »
Q&A: How prepared is San Diego for monkeypox?ICYMI on KPBS Midday Edition: There are no current reported cases of the monkeypox virus in San Diego, but local infectious disease specialist says health officials are 'watching very carefully what's going on.'
Read more »
Denton County reports first monkeypox case of 2022Denton County reported its first monkeypox case Saturday, just three days after the first locally transmitted case was detected in Dallas County. The case is...
Read more »
Monkeypox vaccine clinics to open on Fire Island, Suffolk County offering 750 dosesMore monkeypox vaccine clinics will open up in Suffolk County later this week as case numbers rise across the state.
Read more »