ST. PETERSBURG, Fla — As of July 18, Florida has reported 180 cases of Monkeypox, a rare disease that has seen a recent increase in infections in parts of the world, including the U.S., the Florida Department of Health said.
Here in the Tampa Bay area, 13 cases have been reported, with the most occurring in Pinellas County.
The latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show close to 2,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in the U.S.; and, experts believe the case numbers are undercounted.
With the recent outbreak of the disease, questions about vaccination have surfaced.
The CDC says there are two smallpox vaccines licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – JYNNEOS (also known as Imvamune or Imvanex) and ACAM2000 – that can be used to prevent and treat monkeypox.
Monkeypox is transmitted through close physical contact. It's primarily spreading among the LGBTQ+ community, specifically gay and bisexual men, and men who have sex with men. However, it's important to note anyone can contract the virus.
It's also important to know that no deaths have happened in Florida or the U.S. and health officials say the risk to the American public is currently low.
With all of that said, who should get vaccinated? Here's what the FLDOH and the CDC have to say:
- Vaccination is recommended for people who have been exposed to a person infected with monkeypox. However, the vaccination should happen within the first 14 days of exposure.
- People who may have been exposed to monkeypox, such as:
- People who are aware that one of their sexual partners in the past two weeks has been diagnosed with monkeypox.
- People who had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks in an area with known monkeypox.
- Vaccination is also recommended for people who have certain job-related risks, such as those who work in public health laboratories.
People looking to get vaccinated should talk to their healthcare providers.
The CDC says some symptoms of monkeypox to look out for include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
- The rash goes through different stages before healing completely. This process can take several weeks.
The CDC also says the overall threat of monkeypox is low because it's a rare disease and doesn't spread easily without close contact.