The number of confirmed cases of monkeypox in Los Angeles County has risen to 22, which health officials say has spread widely among men who have sex with men who recently attended big events.
Most recent cases involve people who have not traveled out of the country or out of state, as was the case in most of the first cases identified in the United States.
No hospitalizations or deaths have been reported, officials said.
“Anyone can catch and spread monkeypox, but some of the recent cases identified are in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men who have attended large events where exposure to monkeypox may have occurred,” the Los Angeles Department of Public Service said. Health said in a statement Friday. “Public Health is working with event organizers to notify attendees of potential exposure.”
The department said it would be the JYNNEOS vaccine, targeting “people at higher risk of monkeypox,” which includes those who had close contact with an infected person and those who were at an event where they could have had “skin-to-skin” contact with an infected person.
The department said it would work to make the hard-to-find vaccine available to other high-risk groups as supplies increase.
Monkeypox is a viral infection that causes skin lesions and is endemic to parts of Africa. But the current outbreak has hit countries like the US and UK where the virus doesn’t usually spread, sparking global concern.
The virus can cause blisters, pimples, and rashes. Most people who get monkeypox report only mild illness that goes away in two to four weeks without treatment.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monkeypox can be spread through contact of bodily fluids, monkeypox sores, or clothing with an infected person. It can also be contracted by breathing in respiratory droplets while talking to someone.
The CDC said there have also been reports of transmission among family members and close contacts.
On Saturday, the United States surpassed 200 confirmed cases nationwide, including 51 in California, according to the latest CDC data.
The White House announced earlier in the week that tests for the virus would be shipped to commercial labs to expand testing and speed up diagnoses.