Those 1,300 cases account for about 20 percent of the United States caseload, according to Dr. Vivek Jain, a disease control expert who testified at an informational hearing of the state Senate Select Committee on Monkeypox on Tuesday.
Public health officials from four California counties reported there were 647 confirmed cases in Los Angeles, 501 in San Francisco, 98 in San Diego, and 70 in Riverside.
“These numbers are being updated daily due to the speed at which new cases are occurring, and I’m strongly supportive of the emergency declarations made by the City of San Francisco, California state and the federal government in recent days,” Jain said.
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California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency over monkeypox on Aug. 1, just days before the Biden administration declared a public health emergency. It announced plans to strengthen its response efforts on Aug. 4.
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The next day, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned homosexual men to “take a temporary break” from sexual activity until they’re vaccinated since monkeypox cases occur primarily among gay and bisexual men. The CDC also suggested those in high-risk groups to limit their sexual partners, avoid “spaces” for anonymous sex with multiple partners, use condoms, and wear gloves during some sexual activities.
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The disease has spread to more than 7,100 Americans, and the number of known cases worldwide has grown by 26,000 in about 90 countries since May, according to the Associated Press. The Aug. 5 report stated, “There have been 103 suspected deaths in Africa, mostly in Nigeria and Congo, where a more lethal form of monkeypox is spreading.”
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Sen. Scott Wiener (D-Francisco), who heads the newly formed committee, criticized the federal government for allegedly not replacing 20 million doses of the monkeypox vaccine in the national stockpile when they expired in 2019.
“In San Francisco, honestly, it’s a little bit like The Hunger Games when it comes to accessing vaccinations,” Wiener said. “It is heartbreaking at San Francisco General Hospital, where the clinic will open for a few days or a week, and then shut down because it runs out.”
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When the clinic does reopen, people needing the vaccine show up in the early morning hours and wait in lines as long as five blocks, he said.
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Several public health experts testified that although the infection is excruciating for many patients, it is not usually deadly.
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