CLEVELAND — The Center for Disease Control’s newest numbers show monkeypox cases rising throughout the United States and Ohio is no different. Right now, there are 68 cases of monkeypox in the state, and 18 of those positive cases are in Cleveland.
“Our case activity is low, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't be taking precautions,” said Kevin Brennan, with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health. “Like wearing masks, social distancing, frequent hand washing, right? Cleaning high-touch surfaces. Those are bonafide prevention methods for any type of communicable disease, monkeypox included.”
The cases rising in Northeast Ohio are a concern for Dr. Amy Edwards, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at University Hospitals’ Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital.
“Even though this outbreak has gotten larger than many of us predicted that it would, I'm still confident that it's not going to get out of control, like really raging out of control and harm a lot of people,” she said. “But it does concern me that this outbreak has gotten as big as it has. I think it is a signal that our public health infrastructure is not as robust as it needs to be.”
She said it should be containable.
“When you take a disease that's already known, so this is not a novel virus, already has a vaccine and already has a treatment, it should not be spreading this much,” said Edwards.
In the last week, 5,000 vaccines were shipped to Ohio. The Cuyahoga County Board of Health received about 1,200 of the 5,000.
“The vast majority of those doses are being distributed to our major hospital systems and then a couple of providers that specialize in treating members of the LGBTQ population,” said Brennan.
Dr. Dave Margolius is the director of Cleveland's Public Health Department. He said there are enough vaccines for people who have contracted the virus, been exposed and are in high-risk groups.
“Everybody should be aware of the situation and everybody should be advocating for more vaccines in our community,” he said.
Edwards echoed his sentiment and said there should be more vaccines available at this point, for anyone who wants it.
“The smallpox vaccine, which is an older vaccine, is active and effective against monkeypox,” she said. “If you are young and very healthy with no co-morbidities and don't have anybody ill in your household around you, there's really no reason why you couldn't at least be offered the smallpox vaccine as an alternative if you want it and it's not very clear to me why more of that is not being done.”
Health experts are now scrambling to get the message out of how it is spread: close contact.
It is spread through direct physical contact with sores, rash, scabs, or body fluids from a person with monkeypox- touching objects, fabrics (clothing, bedding, or towels) and surfaces that have been used by someone with monkeypox. The symptoms cause flu-like symptoms and may include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and most people will get a rash and lesions.
Edwards believes the federal government could’ve sounded the alarm a bit earlier and spread awareness before the virus spread.
“Because the outbreak started primarily in men who have sex with men, there was a lot of fear around the idea that that there would be stigma around it. I do think there needs to be more aggressive education about how this spreads and how, you know, it's not very clear if it spreads sexually, and I don't really think it matters because having sex with somebody requires close contact and close contact is how it spreads,” she said.
Brennan said if you believe you have monkeypox or were in contact with someone who is positive, to call your doctor or local health department.
