LONG BEACH, Calif.—Long Beach reported its first presumptive case of monkeypox July 16.
The case concerns an adult Long Beach resident with no recent travel history or known contacts. The person is showing symptoms and isolating at home for recovery, city officials said.
The person tested positive in the initial test for orthopoxvirus, of which the monkeypox virus is a member, alongside the smallpox virus. Additional testing will be performed at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to confirm monkeypox.
The city’s health department is conducting an extensive contact investigation and offering the vaccine to people who may have been exposed to prevent further spread.
“The risk of monkeypox is very low, but we are continuing our work and taking proactive measures to mitigate further spread,” City Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis said.
Symptoms of monkeypox typically include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion. Pimple-like rashes or blisters sometimes appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body.
Those with monkeypox are infectious and should isolate until the rash resolves. People who have symptoms should call their health care provider, who will determine the need for testing. Those who do not have a health care provider and are experiencing symptoms can contact the city of Long Beach’s public health information line at 562-570-7907.
As of July 15, more than 12,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported globally, including 1,814 cases in the United States, 250 in California, and 85 in Los Angeles County. While people of any gender and sexual orientation can acquire and spread monkeypox, most cases have been among men who have sex with men and transgender women.
According to the Long Beach health department, vaccines and antivirals may be given to prevent illness or reduce disease severity, which includes the JYNNEOS vaccine. Vaccines are currently in very limited supply, but more are expected in the coming weeks.
“We are taking monkeypox very seriously, and diligently working to vaccinate people who are at highest risk, understanding that the vaccine is currently in extremely limited supply,” Mayor Robert Garcia said.
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