The Los Angeles Post

State Public Health Officials Provide Monkeypox (MPX) Update

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SACRAMENTO – Today, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) provided a weekly update on the state’s monkeypox (MPX) outbreak and response.

Cases

  • California has reported 5,010 probable and confirmed MPX cases.
  • Cases have been reported in 44 local health jurisdictions.
  • Complete case data is available on the state’s MPX data dashboard.

 

Hospitalizations

  • There have been 195 hospitalizations in California due to the MPX virus and one confirmed death.

 

Vaccines

  • California has received 165,371 vials of MPX vaccine, including 65,582 delivered directly to Los Angeles County from the federal government.
  • CDPH has distributed 155,282 vials to other local public health departments.
  • 208,108 total doses have been administered to 149,096 persons in California.
  • Complete allocation and distribution data is available on the MPX vaccine page.

 

Treatment

  • California has distributed 3,931 oral treatment courses of Tecovirimat (TPOXX).

 

ADDITIONAL UPDATES

 

Guidance for Child Care and School Settings

While MPX transmission among the general public and children remains low, CDPH has provided guidance for child care facilities and schools to help reduce the spread of infectious diseases, including MPX, in those settings. To date, CDPH has not received any reports of MPX spread in these settings. The guidance outlines how to prevent transmission, provides best practices in the event of any potential MPX exposure, and recommends that schools and child care facilities contact their local health department for additional assistance.

Know the Signs

People with MPX may first develop flu-like illness with fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, and enlarged lymph nodes. A characteristic rash, which can appear like blisters or pimples in certain parts of the body, may occur a few days later. These blisters or pimples may be very painful. MPX may require hospitalization in rare instances. In some cases, no flu-like symptoms appear, and individuals only develop a rash. People with the virus may experience all or only a few of these symptoms. The illness may last for up to 2 to 4 weeks and usually resolves without specific treatment.

Slow & Prevent Spread

There are several measures that can be taken to prevent infection with MPX virus:

  • Avoid any physical contact like hugging, kissing, or sexual intimacy with people who have symptoms of MPX, including a rash or sores.
  • Talk to sexual partner/s about any recent illness. Be aware of new or unexplained sores or rashes on your body or a partner’s body, including on the genitals and anus.
  • Do not share eating utensils or cups with a person with MPX.
  • Do not handle or touch bedding, towels, clothing, or other fabrics that have been in contact with someone with MPX.
  • Wash hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Read the CDC’s latest information on safer sex, social gatherings and MPX and CDPH’s Safer Sex & MPX fact sheet.

 

If you have symptoms:

  • Reach out to a health care provider to get checked out. If you don’t have a provider or health insurance, visit a public health clinic near you.
  • Take a break from sexual and intimate contact as well as attending public gatherings.
  • Isolate from others you live with.
  • Wear a mask and cover rashes if needing to be around others and when visiting a health care provider.

 

Additional Resources

CDPH provides a webpage with multiple resources, including a Q&A, and communications toolkit with fact sheets, videos and social media assets for the public, community organizations, health care providers, and media outlets.