Mpox cases on rise. Riverside County urges awareness, vaccines ahead of Palm Springs Pride

As new mpox cases have been reported throughout the state of California in recent weeks, including two in Riverside County, local public health officials are concerned about possible increases and urge caution as large gatherings, such as Palm Springs Pride, take place in the desert.

Reported cases of mpox in California have increased to nearly 17 per week after averaging less than seven cases per week in July and August, according to the California Department of Public Health. In Riverside County, two were reported this week in the Coachella Valley and southwest Riverside County, the first cases since July. There have been a total of four confirmed cases this calendar year, according to Deputy Director of Riverside County Public Health Marshare Penny, and 320 total reported in Riverside County since the start of the outbreak last spring.

Nearby in San Diego County, 11 new cases were reported during the month of October. Los Angeles County also saw an increase during the summer months.

"We're certainly monitoring, we're concerned about an uptick, which is why we're pushing out as much information as we can about our upcoming vaccination clinics and the importance of trying to remind the community that mpox is still here," Penny said. "Even though we've seen no cases for quite some time, it's still here and we want to make sure we do everything we can to keep it at bay."

Mpox can be spread through close contact with skin lesions or bodily fluids of infected animals or humans (alive or dead), including droplets. The virus can also be spread through sexual contact, but it is not classified as a sexually transmitted infection. Mpox can infect anyone, but it has disproportionately affected men who have sex with men, as seen during last year's outbreak.

Symptoms start within three weeks of exposure and include fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, rash and lesions often in the genital and perianal region. Illness typically lasts for two to four weeks.

There's no one reason why cases have been increasing recently, but Penny said it could be a sign that immunity has waned among those who were previously vaccinated for mpox. State and local public health officials are looking into if those with confirmed cases were previously vaccinated and, if so, how long it's been since their last dose.

Local case numbers are substantially lower compared to last year's outbreak, when several were reported on a daily basis, but Penny said the county has continued surveillance measures to monitor positive infections, and vaccination efforts have not stopped. As Palm Springs Pride approaches this weekend, where thousands of people will gather from all over, it's been even more vital to share up-to-date information, she added.

Penny said county officials will have a presence at this weekend's Palm Springs Pride celebration by administering vaccines from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. HIV testing, COVID-19 vaccination and other services will be available as well. Other upcoming vaccine clinics can be found at ruhealth.org/upcoming-vaccine-clinics, as well as a list of Jynneos vaccine providers at ruhealth.org/mpox-vaccine-locations.

Palm Springs-based health care center DAP Health will also have mpox information and vaccines available at Pride on Friday. Mpox vaccination is also provided for free at the center's Orange Clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1695 N. Sunrise Way in Palm Springs.

The Jynneos vaccine was approved in 2019 by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of smallpox and mpox in people ages 18 and older. In addition to possibly preventing mpox, the vaccine may also lessen symptoms in people who have been exposed. The vaccine consists of two doses taken one month apart, and a person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second shot.

"Our hope is that vaccination helps us keep cases to low or no," Penny said. "We've been successful so far, which is great, so we're doing that push again to make sure our community is aware that vaccination is offered and where it's offered so we can continue protecting our community."

More than 10,000 vaccine doses have been distributed in Riverside County since the outbreak, according to the county's mpox data dashboard at www.ruhealth.org/mpox

The county mpox website also has a number of resources available, including flyers to review virus symptoms, safety measures, testing and how to prepare for Pride.

Aside from getting vaccinated, Penny said there are a number of ways community members can keep themselves protected. People should stay home if they are not feeling well, reach out to their health care provider if they notice anything abnormal, such as a new rash or one that has changed, avoid contact with sick individuals or items they may have touched, and wash hands and clean/disinfect surfaces frequently.

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Mpox cases on rise in Riverside County. Awareness urged ahead of Palm Springs Pride