Monkeypox: No new cases detected Friday; Riverside County total remains at 198 patients

On Friday, Riverside County health officials noted that they had no new cases of monkeypox detected by testing.

Spokesperson Jose Arballo provided an update via Twitter, writing, "RivCo Public Health is reporting NO new probable/confirmed MPX (Monkeypox) cases in the county. Total remains 198 for Riverside County."

Riverside County launches monkeypox vaccine dashboard

Riverside County has launched a dashboard breaking down data on monkeypox vaccinations across the county, including the Coachella Valley.

The dashboard is available at rivcoph.org/mpx/Data. Check Out the interactive dashboard below:

According to the data, as of Sept. 1, 6,474 vaccines have been allocated to Riverside County, They have also received 6,474 doses. 

A total of 5,310 vaccines have been distributed.

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98%, of county residents that have been vaccinated are men.

609 men have been fully vaccinated, while 3,988 men have been partially vaccinated. 12 females have been fully vaccinated, while 83 females have been partially vaccinated.

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Palm Springs residents have been the most vaccinated.

2,493 people in Palm Springs have been at least partially vaccinated. Palm Springs also has the most cases among Coachella Valley cities with 96. The next nearest city is Cathedral City with 30 cases.

According to health officials, the monkeypox vaccine can prevent infection if given before or shortly after exposure to the virus. The county is working with community partners to expand eligibility for the two-shot vaccines to include at-risk individuals, and to set up treatment sites with Tecovirimat -- an antiviral medication used to treat orthopoxvirus infections such as monkeypox.

On Thursday, Riverside County reported one additional confirmed/probable case of monkeypox. The county has a total of Last Friday, the number of cases in the county was 165, up from 123
the previous week.

Check Out an interactive dashboard with case data below:

The county declared a public health emergency in early August to focus on the virus. State and federal officials also proclaimed emergencies.

A total of 3,629 monkeypox cases have been confirmed in California -- the highest of any state -- while nationwide, the aggregate count is 18,989, according to the latest CDC data.

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 CDC.

Symptoms include 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.

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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.