CDC reports 5 more monkeypox cases in Maryland

BALTIMORE -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported an additional five monkeypox cases in Maryland, bringing the total in the state to 14.

Maryland has received 682 doses of the Jynneos Monkeypox vaccine and will distribute 200 to each of the three jurisdictions with the highest risk, Montgomery and Prince George's counties and Baltimore City, the state health department said.

Health departments in those three jurisdictions will provide information on the availability of those vaccines. Individuals who have been deemed close contacts with patients have been offered vaccination, the state health department said.

The remaining 82 doses will be distributed to other health departments in the state as needed.

More doses from the White House are expected in the coming weeks, the state health department said.

Since an outbreak in May, the World Health Organization has reported 6,000 lab-confirmed cases of the virus. Most of the newly reported cases were in Europe and Africa.

Symptoms of monkeypox include fever, headache, muscle aches and exhaustion. Infected indivduals will often develop a rash that starts on their face and spreads to other parts of the body, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

The virus is in the same family as Smallpox, and although doctors say it's generally less severe, the symptoms can still be extreme.