Nine more monkeypox cases were added to Riverside County’s growing total in a single weekend.
Of the 59 reported cases of monkeypox, 56 of them are here in the Coachella Valley.
And it’s now being called a public health emergency.
The age group and sex remain the same: all men aged 20 to 60.
But Riverside County Public Health is taking action in a way we already know: contact tracing.
“We continue to do contact tracing,” said Jennifer Chevinsky, Riverside County Deputy Public Health Officer, Public Health. “Part of that is identifying specific individuals, and when people are discussing specific events, we try to track those events and get lists of attendees. We also ask them who they may have been in contact with or in close physical contact with so that we can screen them and see if they would be eligible for this vaccine.
But the availability of vaccines is still extremely rare.
In a statement sent to NBC Palm Springs, Mayor Lisa Middleton said in part, “I am very pleased that nationally and statewide, monkeypox is being treated as a health crisis. …there are not enough vaccines available for those who need them. This must change…each of us must advocate to address the vaccine shortage.
Either way, public health is doing everything it can to get those most at risk vaccinated.
They even added a new vaccine interest form.
“One of the areas that people might be most interested in is that we have a vaccine interest form that we’ve added to our website,” Dr. Chevinsky explained. “So for anyone interested in getting vaccinated and concerned about being at high risk, please register on this interest form on the website so that we have your information to follow as new doses are released. available.”
Until then, they ask people to be aware of the symptoms and to continue to be proactive.
“We know there are certain things that have been linked or high risk in terms of the spread of monkeypox, so having multiple partners or anonymous partners, certain apps that are anonymous, those have all been linked throughout of the outbreak in California and nationwide,” Dr. Chevinsky continued. “So the recommendation is to monitor yourself for rashes, monitor your partner for rashes and try to reduce the potential risk in those ways to keep everyone safe.”
One of the cases reported last week was transferred to San Bernardino County.
Some of the places people can get vaccinated in the desert include Borrego, DAP, and Eisenhower Health, as well as Kaiser Permanente.
Public Health continues to add more clinics to help distribute the vaccine and also offers a home vaccination option for those who have already been exposed.
As for major upcoming events like Splash House this weekend, they haven’t been canceled yet.
For more information on the Vaccine Interest Form and where you can get vaccinated or tested, click here.
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