Virginia saw a disturbing increase in mpox cases in the first quarter of the year, with 12 cases reported — as many as in all of 2023, when all of the cases occurred in NoVA.
The Virginia Department of Health said that four people required hospitalization. Of the 12, no patients previously received vaccines. Six also had HIV infections.
Most of the cases involved gay, bisexual, or other men who have had sex with men, and occurred across the state. Symptoms of mpox, previously referred to as monkeypox, include “fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes and a new, unexplained rash that might be painful,” a news release said.
People get mpox through close physical contact. The health department recommends that people not share personal items.
With Pride celebrations and other spring and summer festivals ahead, the health department suggests people get vaccinated and added that anyone can get mpox. It recommends two doses of JYNNEOS for those at risk.
“When thinking about how to lower the chance of getting mpox at events like raves, parties, clubs, and festivals, consider how much close, personal, skin-to-skin contact is likely to occur,” the department said.
A health department dashboard of cases since 2022 shows that statewide there have been 590 cases. Fairfax County, Arlington County, and Alexandria have had the most cases. Fairfax reported 99, Arlington, 68, and Alexandria, 65. The next highest number of cases occurred in Prince William County and Norfolk, which both saw 39 cases.
Forty percent of the cases since 2022 involved people between the ages of 30 and 39, while almost 36 percent involved those between the ages of 20 and 29.
Feature image of mpox virus, stock.adobe.com
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