Health department: 9 monkeypox cases confirmed in southwestern Pa.
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The Allegheny County Health Department says they've seen six positive monkeypox cases in the county since the first case was confirmed on July 1.
Doctors don't anticipate monkeypox becoming an epidemic or pandemic like COVID-19, but they do encourage people to take the necessary precautions so they don't become exposed.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Pennsylvania currently has 27 monkeypox cases. The state department of health says nine of those cases are from the southwest region of the state. While the numbers have gone up, doctors don't expect to see the virus get out of control.
So how can you get it?
"You can only be infected when the pox are around. So you have to have physical contact with the actual lesion," said Allegheny Health Network primary care physician Dr. Jennifer Preiss.
Preiss says the virus is a sexually transmitted disease most common in men having sex with other men. If you suspect you have it, she says look out for flu-like symptoms and some enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin area followed by the appearance of a blustery pox.
The Allegheny County Health Department says local health care systems, clinics and other providers have been testing patients who have presented possible monkeypox symptoms for several weeks.
There is a vaccine available, but the ACHD says it's currently the only entity distributing it in the county. They stress there is currently enough of the vaccine to go around for people who have identified as having close contact with the virus. The health department says it should be getting more monkeypox vaccines within a week to expand eligibility.
Preiss doesn't think everyone will eventually be asked to get vaccines.
"It's not going to be ubiquitous like COVID vaccines. (We're) not asking people to get monkeypox vaccines," said Preiss.
The Allegheny County Health Department said testing is also available at the department's Public Health Clinic located at 1908 Wylie Avenue. Clinic hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Wednesdays noon to 7:30 p.m. To learn more about the clinic, visit its webpage or call 412-578-8081.
