California Governor Gavin Newsom this afternoon declared a State of Emergency in regard to the spread of the Monkeypox virus. In doing so, the state joins New York City and Wisconsin, which also declared states of emergency related to the virus today.
California has recorded 786 monkeypox cases as of Thursday, most concentrated in Los Angeles and San Francisco, according to the California Department of Public Health. There have been no deaths in the state to date.
The vast majority of those infected in the state are men who have sex with men. Demographically, they are white males between the ages of 25 and 44.
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The proclamation enables Emergency Medical Services personnel to administer monkeypox vaccines that are approved by the FDA, similar to the statutory authorization recently enacted for pharmacists to administer vaccines. The state’s response to monkeypox is meant to build on learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic to deploy vaccine clinics.
“California is working urgently across all levels of government to slow the spread of monkeypox, leveraging our robust testing, contact tracing and community partnerships strengthened during the pandemic to ensure that those most at risk are our focus for vaccines, treatment and outreach,” said Newsom. “We’ll continue to work with the federal government to secure more vaccines, raise awareness about reducing risk, and stand with the LGBTQ community fighting stigmatization.”
Monkeypox spreads primarily through direct contact with infectious sores, scabs, or body fluids, including during sex, as well as activities like kissing, hugging, massaging, and cuddling. Monkeypox can spread through touching materials used by a person with monkeypox that haven’t been cleaned, such as clothing and bedding. It can also spread by respiratory secretions during prolonged, close, face-to-face contact.
