Metro Health reports small uptick in monkeypox cases in Davidson County

Kori Johnson
·2 min read

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Monkeypox cases recently increased in parts of Middle Tennessee during the fall, according to health officials.

Cases of the virus, which the Metro Public Health Department (MPHD) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now refer to as Mpox, had a small spike in Davidson County.

The department recorded five cases of the virus in the span of a month and a half.

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“Nationally they also saw a small uptick in mid-October; since then it’s fallen off. We have some from about the same time. About three to four weeks ago is when we saw those cases occur, so we haven’t seen any new cases since then,” said Dr. Gill Wright III, the director of health at MPHD.

Officials said it’s the first time in a while since several Mpox cases have popped up in a short period of time.

The virus spreads through close contact. National data also indicates men with same sex partners are more likely to be impacted by the virus.

Flu cases rising across Tennessee, latest CDC data shows

“I don’t think its concerning yet. Usually, three to four weeks after we get an idea because it takes that long for the virus to show up in potentially somebody that’s newly exposed, so we’ll continue to follow for the next months, but right now I don’t see any indication that there’s a big concern,” said Wright.

According to CDC data, more than 31,000 cases across the United States have been reported this year. Just over 400 cases are out of Tennessee, including the five recent cases in Davidson County.

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Officials stress the importance of getting vaccinated. While vaccines were in short supply during the Mpox public health emergency in 2022, they aren’t anymore.

“The vaccine was hard to get initially when we first had the first outbreak, but now it’s very available and because it’s quite available, those that are at risk or exposed to partners that are at risk should really get the vaccine,” said Wright.

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