Recent reports from Eisenhower Health have confirmed that the first probable case of monkeypox in Riverside County involved treatment of the patient at a Coachella Valley facility.
As the probable cases in California’s top 60, health organizations in the area are striving to secure vaccines for those at-risk while continuing to make diligent efforts to keep the community safe and updated.
In a KESQ article, Eisenhower Health spokesperson Lee Rice said the patient of the first probable case of monkeypox in RivCo received treatment at an Eisenhower facility located in the Coachella Valley. Although Eisenhower Health is working to secure vaccines, the facility can only provide them on a case-by-case basis determined largely by exposure and at-risk status of patients, the spokesperson told KESQ.
“Dr. Shubha Kerkar, director of infectious disease services at DAP Health, is at the forefront of educating staff and assisting with appropriate messaging for patients and the community. As with any potential outbreak, we focus on community education and diligent evaluation of any person appearing with symptoms that could indicate monkeypox, or who indicates they have had exposure to someone with a confirmed case,” Dustin Gruber, senior marketing manager of Palm Springs-based DAP Health, said in The Desert Sun.
Making sure the clinical staff has the most up-to-date information will be an important part of dealing with any outbreak, Gruber said.
“We maintain vigilance to assure safety for our patients and our staff, and provide education to all clinical staff to assure they have the most current information,” he said.
The first probable case of monkeypox in the county was announced by healthcare officials last week, KESQ reported. The patient was identified as a man under the age of 60 who was located somewhere in the eastern portion of Riverside County. It was only recently that reports confirmed he received treatment in Coachella Valley. However, local health officials are reporting that monkeypox hasn’t become widespread and that the community should take note of precautions to prevent the spread.
Barbara Cole, the director of the Riverside County Disease Control, told KESQ that the overall risk of transmission is low.
To date at least 61 probable and confirmed cases of the disease have been reported in California, with at least one probable case in RivCo, The Desert Sun said. While providing information on the disease, the article said that monkeypox is rare and results from the monkeypox virus.
Typically found in Central and West Africa, the virus doesn’t occur naturally in the United States. Recent cases are thought to stem from international travel or imported animals from regions affected by the disease. The infection typically spreads through close contact with skin lesions or bodily fluids of infected animals or humans, dead or alive. Gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men are at the highest risk for monkeypox, but it can infect anyone, according to Desert Sun.
