Riverside County’s first probable monkeypox case involves Coachella Valley patient
Eisenhower Health confirmed the first probable case of monkeypox in Riverside County was treated in the Coachella Valley.
Lee Rice, Eisenhower Health spokesperson, said the patient was treated at an Eisenhower facility.
Check Out Our Full Interview with Riverside County's Chief of Disease Control
The county's first probable case of monkeypox was announced by health officials. last week. County officials said the patient was a man, under the age of 60, located in eastern Riverside County.
So far, the county has only reported one probable case of the disease.
On Wednesday, Eisenhower Health addressed requests from valley residents for the monkeypox vaccine.
"At this time, Eisenhower Health can only provide the vaccine for the recommended use of vaccination after exposure (also called post-exposure prophylaxis or PEP) as directed by Riverside County Public Health on a case by case basis. There has been no prescribed directive or vaccine supply provided for administration of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for at-risk patients"
- Eisenhower Health news release
On Wednesday, county health officials confirmed to News Channel 3 that they will be receiving monkeypox vaccines in the next few weeks.
Riverside County Public Health has outlined its plan for distribution once they receive a supply from the California Department of Public Health. Should allocations of vaccine be distributed to our region and specifically our health system, Eisenhower will provide the vaccine per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and as directed by the Riverside County Department of Public Health.
Local health officials said that while monkeypox is not yet widespread, the community should take note of precautions that can be taken to prevent spread. News Channel 3's Peter Daut spoke with Barbara Cole, director of the Riverside County Disease Control, who said the overall risk of transmission is low.
"We want people taking preventive measures. for instance, if they have intimate contact with someone, do they have a rash? Are they ill? so they avoid direct exposure if that's possible," Cole said.
If you have lesions, health officials said not to attend social events where you might spread the disease. If you suspect you have monkeypox, contact your physician or an urgent care facility.
Residents are encouraged to review the CDC’s tips for preventing exposure to monkeypox.
Testing for monkeypox will be coordinated with Riverside County Public Health, which provides the testing kit.
Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.
