Maryland's monkeypox case count climbs to 22
BALTIMORE -- There are now 22 documented cases of monkeypox in Maryland, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest round of data included in the CDC's case count shows eight additional cases of monkeypox in Maryland, up from a total of 14 cases reported last Friday.
The increase comes days after the Maryland Department of Health announced it had received nearly 700 doses of the Jynneos monkeypox vaccine.
Doses of the vaccine are being distributed in batches of 200 to the Baltimore City, along with Montgomery and Prince George's counties, the three jurisdictions with the highest risk level, according to the health department.
The leftover 82 doses will be given to other health departments across the state on an as-needed basis.
The health department said it anticipates Maryland will receive additional doses of the monkeypox vaccine in the coming weeks.
As of last week, the World Health Organization was aware of at least 6,000 lab-confirmed cases, with most of the newly reported cases coming from Europe and Africa.
Monkeypox symptoms include fever, head and muscle aches and exhaustion, the health department said. Additionally, infected individuals are known to develop rashes on their face that spread to other parts of their bodies.