Monkeypox is still a ‘maturing outbreak’ in Washington, health officials say
Monkeypox is spreading in Washington although the risk to the general population remains low, state health officials said Thursday during a media briefing.
As of Thursday, there have been 392 cases of monkeypox confirmed in Washington. Of those, 318 cases were reported in King County.
While the outbreak is a fraction of COVID-19 cases in the state since that pandemic began, it shouldn’t be ignored, said Dr. Scott Lindquist, a state epidemiologist.
“But this outbreak of monkeypox in the midst of COVID is a large outbreak by itself,” Lindquist said. “392 people with a new disease is very disturbing.”
As of Wednesday, 12 people have been hospitalized with the disease in the state.
On Wednesday, King County confirmed its first pediatric case of monkeypox, bringing the state total of cases in people under 18 to two.
Vaccine
The state has received 16,210 vials of monkeypox vaccine. Each vial provides three to four doses, Washington Secretrary of Health Dr. Umair Shah said. A full vaccine course requires two doses with a 28-day interval between them.
In Washington, demand for the vaccine exceeded supply when the outbreak began in May. Health officials did not address the issue on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department issued an advisory for health care providers on the JYNNEOS vaccine for monkeypox. The vaccine is in short supply, TPCHD said.
The advisory stated that people 18 years or older are eligible to get the vaccine if they are a gay, bisexual or other man or transgender person who has sex with men as well as one other qualification from a list that included race, drug use, number of sexual partners and other criteria.
Rash
Among other symptoms (fever, aches, respiratory), monkeypox is most readily identified by the appearance of a rash or sores.
Shah urged anyone who develops a rash to seek medical attention.
“Be careful of your contacts with others,” he advised those who show symptoms. “Avoid direct skin contact and sharing items with anyone in your household until you get it checked out.”
A state monkeypox hotline for the people who have questions or concerns has been established at 833-829-HELP.
LGBTQ community and monkeypox
Health officials emphasized that while the virus has been disproportionately affecting men who have sex with men, the virus does not discriminate.
“Anyone, anywhere can be at risk if the behaviors, including that skin to skin close contact with an infected person, are what is occurring,” Shah said.
Manny Santiago, the executive director of the state’s LGBTQ Commission, said misinformation has led to stigmatization of LGBTQ people.
“Your words have power and they have the power to stop the stigmatization of a community that has already lived through a similar experience when the HIV virus was first discovered in the ‘80s,” Santiago said.
This story was originally published August 26, 2022 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Monkeypox is still a ‘maturing outbreak’ in Washington, health officials say."
