Riverside County reports 10 new probable/confirmed Monkeypox cases

Riverside County is reporting an additional 10 probable/confirmed cases of Monkeypox.

This brings the total number of cases in the county to 28. There are four confirmed cases, 24 are probable, according to County spokesperson Jose Arballo Jr.

Monkeypox cases in the county have quadrupled in less than one week. On Friday, there were a total of 7 cases.

County spokesperson Jose Arballo Jr. announced the 10 new patients are all residents of eastern Riverside County. The ages of the 10 new patients range from 21 to 71.

On Wednesday, county and state health leaders discussed the latest updates on treatment and vaccination efforts. They also heard from a frustrated Monkeypox patient who reported negative experiences trying to seek treatment.

News Channel 3's Peter Daut spoke also spoke exclusively with the county's first Monkeypox patient.

Resources

There are a number of ways to prevent the spread of monkeypox, including:

• Always talking to your sexual partner/s about any recent illness and being aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or your partner’s body, including on the genitals and anus
• Avoiding close contact, including sex, with people with symptoms like sores or rashes
• Practicing good hand hygiene
• People who become infected should isolate until their symptoms are improving or have gone away completely. Rash should always be well covered until completely healed.
• Using appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) (like a mask, gown, and gloves) when caring for others with symptoms
• Avoiding contact with infected materials contaminated with the virus
• Avoiding contact with infected animals

Monkeypox is generally spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact, resulting from infectious rashes and scabs, though respiratory secretions and bodily fluids exchanged during extended physical episodes, such as sexual intercourse, can also lead to transmission, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

Symptoms include fresh pimples, blisters, rashes, fever and fatigue. There is no specific treatment. People who have been infected with smallpox, or have been vaccinated for it, may have immunity to monkeypox.

People with symptoms are urged to visit a medical provider, cover the rash area with clothing, wear a mask and avoid close or skin-to-skin contact with others.

The CDC particularly recommends those steps for people who recently traveled to an area where monkeypox cases have been reported or who have had contact with a confirmed or suspected monkeypox case.

A full list of countries that have confirmed monkeypox cases is available at wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/monkeypox.
A state-by-state tally of cases is available at www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/us-map.html.

Link: CDC’s tips for preventing exposure to Monkeypox. 

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.