Ulster County reports first confirmed case of monkeypox

Mike Randall, Times Herald-Record
·2 min read

KINGSTON - Ulster County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith announced Saturday that the county has its first confirmed case of monkeypox.

Cases previously have been confirmed in the region in Dutchess, Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Westchester counties.

Smith said the county has been preparing for this and is poised to act quickly to ensure public health and safety.

"We are in daily contact with public health officials at the state level to stay abreast of the latest developments," Smith said. "We have a limited supply of the Jynneos vaccine to administer to individuals who meet the criteria established by the New York State Department of Health."

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"We also have access to treatment through the state for severe cases," Smith continued. "If you believe you have been exposed to monkeypox, contact a healthcare provider."

Jonathan Parducho, a pharmacist, removes a tray of vials of of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox from a box containing 20 doses, in the vaccine hub at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, July 29, 2022, in San Francisco.
Jonathan Parducho, a pharmacist, removes a tray of vials of of the Jynneos vaccine for monkeypox from a box containing 20 doses, in the vaccine hub at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, July 29, 2022, in San Francisco.

Monkeypox is a viral infection in the same family as smallpox. It can be spread through direct skin-to-skin contact with monkeypox lesions, or by contact with respiratory droplets or saliva from someone who has monkeypox. It also can be spread by touching objects or surfaces that have been handled by someone with monkeypox.

Monkeypox symptoms can include rashes, bumps or blisters on or around the genitals, hands, feet, chest or face; and flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle aches, chills and fatigue. The flu-like symptoms may occur before or after the rash appears, or not at all.

This image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory that was captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland.
This image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) shows a colorized transmission electron micrograph of monkeypox particles (red) found within an infected cell (blue), cultured in the laboratory that was captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland.

Currently, New York State guidelines limit eligibility for the monkeypox vaccine to those with exposure to a suspected or confirmed case within the past 14 days; those at high risk of a recent exposure, including gay men and members of the bisexual, transgender and gender non-conforming communities, and other communities of men who have sex with men and have engaged in intimate or skin-to-skin contact with others in the past 14 days in areas where monkeypox is spreading; and individuals who have had skin-to-skin contact with someone in a social network experiencing monkeypox activity.

Smith urged any residents who are experiencing any symptoms of monkeypox to call their doctor.

Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record, the Poughkeepsie Journal and the Journal News/lohud. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com or on Twitter @MikeRandall845

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: First monkeypox case is confirmed in Ulster County New York