Monkey disease in Mississippi: Sixth case identified

The Mississippi State Department of Health has now identified six cases of monkeypox in the state.

of Monkey virus Since the outbreak began in May, it has infected dozens of countries and thousands around the world. Since Mississippi reported its first case on July 25, the number of cases nationwide has more than doubled. As of August 5, there have been 7,510 cases of monkeypox in the US, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The monkeypox virus, which is part of the smallpox virus family, does not cause death but causes painful symptoms. Almost all infections outside of Africa have occurred among men who have sex with men.

Transmission usually occurs through skin-to-skin contact with an infected person. Airborne transmission also occurs during prolonged close contact with an infected person.

State epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said, “No matter what your gender, no matter what your sexual orientation, anyone can get mumps.”

Mississippi’s initial allocation of Jynneos monkeypox vaccine included enough to vaccinate 300 people. Due to limited supply, the vaccine is only available to people who have been in direct contact with the disease. Byers said the department is looking to offer vaccines to people who have had multiple sexual partners.

However, health department officials aren’t sure how many additional doses will be taken for the rest of 2022.

“We have so few doses right now that it’s very difficult to expand our vaccination efforts beyond trying to make sure we vaccinate known contacts,” Byers said.

The Biden administration declared monkeypox a national health emergency on August 4. In addition to increasing public awareness of the virus, the bill would free up federal funding for more innovative and medical treatments.

The World Health Organization declared monkeypox a public health emergency of global concern on July 23, the first time it has taken this step since the Covid-19 outbreak in 2015.

Symptoms of monkeypox can include: fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and fatigue. Infected people often develop a rash that looks like pimples or blisters on parts of the body. The disease usually lasts two to four weeks.