Monkeypox cases in Riverside County are rising, 'imperative' to meet the demand for vaccines

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Monkeypox
Riverside County is working to distribute vaccines as monkeypox cases rise. | Adobe Stock

The probable cases of monkeypox in Riverside County are on the rise, according to an update from Riverside University Health System spokesman Jose Arballo. With the number of cases growing, officials in the region are calling for more vaccines.

According to an article by City News Service for Palm Desert Patch, Arballo said early this week that the number of probable/confirmed cases in Riverside County stands at 28. Arballo also told City News Service that county health officials have been working to distribute monkeypox vaccines, and so far have provided 116 doses to DAP Health, Eisenhower Health, Borrego Health and RUHS' HIV clinic in Coachella Valley.

"It is imperative that the CDC and the CDPC work quickly to make these and any other necessary adjustments to better meet the demand for vaccines and ensure the threat of monkeypox is mitigated in our communities." Palm Springs Mayor Lisa Middleton said of the actions she hopes to see from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Communicable Disease Prevention & Control (CDPC).

The article highlights the need for more vaccines, saying that the county had just a little over 1,000 doses of the two-dose JYNNEOS monkeypox vaccine. This allowed the county to vaccinate approximately 500 people. According to health officials, the vaccine can prevent infection if it's given before or shortly after exposure to the virus, Patch reports. With this limited supply, the vaccines are being saved for confirmed cases, although the county is working with community partners to expand eligibility to include at-risk individuals.

Over the past weekend, the World Health Organization declared monkeypox as a "public health emergency of international concern." Patch reports that as of Wednesday, California had a total of 799 confirmed monkeypox cases, second only to New York with a confirmed case load of 1,228. On a national scale, the CDC is reporting 4,639 confirmed cases, the article said.