First monkeypox case confirmed in Oneida County. What you should know

Amy Neff Roth, Observer-Dispatch
·2 min read
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The first resident of Oneida County has been diagnosed with monkeypox, but the general population is not at risk, according to the Oneida County Health Department.

Test results came back on Sept. 23 and the patient is in isolation, department officials said.

“This is one case of monkeypox and all contacts have been identified,” said Daniel Gilmore, health department director. “These contacts are low risk and are being monitored for symptoms. “There is no concern for the general public at this time.”

The Oneida County Health Department will be offering a limited number of doses of the vaccine that prevents monkeypox to eligible county residents.
The Oneida County Health Department will be offering a limited number of doses of the vaccine that prevents monkeypox to eligible county residents.

All of the patient’s contacts have been notified of the exposure risk; the patient is recovering from a mild illness, but no other information will be released to protect the patient’s privacy, officials said.

“It is not something that people should be afraid of,” agreed Dr. Kent Hall, chief physician executive for the Mohawk Valley Health System. “It is something that people should be aware of.”

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Hall was speaking on general background; the health system has not treated the patient who tested positive for monkeypox, he said.

Monkeypox can be painful, but it is “very, very rarely fatal,” he said. Some people are at risk for more severe illness, including children under age eight, the elderly and people who are immunocompromised.

“But that doesn’t mean,” Hall added, “that they’re going to die from it. In fact, even those populations have a very low mortality rate.”

And monkeypox does not spread as easily as, for example, COVID-19 or the flu; it is unlikely to be passed on by a stranger, he said.

“I think the fact that it has spread as slowly as it has and as specifically as it has is an indication,” he said, “that it is not something overly easily transmitted.”  

Is the monkeypox vaccine available in Oneida County?

The state has sent the county health department a “limited supply” of the monkeypox and smallpox vaccine known by the brand name JYNNEOS for those adults at high risk of contracting it.  The county will hold a vaccine clinic on Oct. 5 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at its clinic at 406 Elizabeth St. in Utica for those with appointments (which can be made online at ocgov.net or by calling 315-798-6400).

What should the public do to protect themselves?

Look out for a rash and if you develop one, see your doctor to rule out monkeypox, Hall said, noting that most rashes are not monkeypox. Patients may or may not have the mild, flu-like symptoms before developing the rash.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: First monkeypox case confirmed in Oneida County: What to know