Gov. Pritzker declares monkeypox virus outbreak a public health emergency
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With cases topping 500 in the state, Gov. JB Pritzker declared the monkeypox virus as a public health emergency in Illinois on Monday.
The 520 cases in Illinois are the third-highest in the country, where New York City and San Francisco have also declared public health emergencies.
In a released statement, Pritzker said MPV is rare but has especially affected members of the LGBTQ+ community.
"Here in Illinois we will ensure our LGBTQ+ community has the resources they need to stay safe while ensuring members are not stigmatized as they access critical health care,” he said.
Pritzker also declared Illinois a "disaster area," granting expanded capacity to the Illinois Department of Public Health with its vaccination and testing efforts. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency along with other state agencies will also assist through the use of state and federal recovery funds.
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So far, the governor's office said the state has obtained more than 7,000 doses of vaccine and is expecting 13,000 additional doses in the days to come.
“A comprehensive and swift response is key when containing a disease outbreak,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra in a released statement. “These measures will allow the state to deploy all our resources in fighting this disease and will open efficient lines of communication and cooperation across state lines, an essential step in tracking monkeypox and improving tools and processes to prevent and address it.”
The announcement comes after the first MPV case was recorded in Sangamon County last week, a case involving an adult male confirmed by county Public Health Director Gail O'Neill.
According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, MPV is spread primarily by skin-to-skin contact or by touching objects used by someone with the virus.
As Dr. Donald Graham, a clinical professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Disease at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine told The State Journal-Register last week, those that received a COVID-19 vaccine should wait before getting the MPV vaccine. COVID-19 is spread easier as well, he said.
The public health emergency went into effect on Monday and will continue for the next 30 days.
Contact Patrick Keck: 312-549-9340, pkeck@gannett.com, twitter.com/@pkeckreporter
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Pritzker declares Illinois state of emergency over monkeypox outbreak
