Presumed monkeypox cases up to 111 as city waits on new vaccine supply
Presumed cases of monkeypox has continue to rise citywide as the city awaits the arrival of nearly 6,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine from the federal government, the city Department of Health said.
In the five boroughs, 111 people have tested positive for orthopoxvirus, according to the Health Department, which called those cases “likely monkeypox.” The state has the largest number of cases nationwide, according to CDC data.
The agency said more appointments for the monkeypox vaccine at the temporary clinic in Chelsea will be made available once the doses arrive this week. The city said last Monday that more appointments for the clinic would not be made available until the city received more vaccines, after the clinic’s rollout was met with long lines and a lack of supply to meet demand for walk-in appointments.
The Biden-Harris administration’s first phase of its national monkeypox vaccine rollout—which the White House released details for on its website last week—will allocate 296,000 doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine over the coming weeks, including 56,000 doses immediately.
According to the Health Department, monkeypox cases are primarily spreading among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, but the department said anyone can spread the virus through direct contact with a rash or sores.
Early symptoms for monkeypox may include fever, headache, swollen lymph nodes and exhaustion.
The department said appointments for the vaccine for eligible New Yorkers will be made available soon through their website.
