Boston – The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) today announced an additional 18 cases of meningitis in older men in the past seven days, bringing the total number of cases. monkey disease in the Commonwealth to 49 residents since the first reported outbreak in the state on 18 May. DPH provides updates to the public on meningitis every week every Thursday.
The 18 people announced today were infected between July 7 and July 13 after testing with the state’s public health laboratory in Jamaica Plain. DPH works with local health officials, patients, and caregivers to identify people who may have had contact with patients while they were infected. Meningitis sufferers are advised to isolate themselves and avoid contact with others until they have stopped contracting the disease.
DPH received its first batch of 2,004 doses of JYNNEOS vaccine on July 5, and immediately distributed the vaccine to four health workers who see the highest number of patients reporting infection or the possibility of measles infection. The number of health workers and immunization facilities across the state is increasing as the number of federal immunizations increases. The list of health care providers will be updated regularly on the Commonwealth Monkey Disease Prevention website. DPH also adds a mobile enabler to administer the medication.
Due to the limited availability of the vaccine nationally, JYNNEOS vaccination in Massachusetts remains very limited at this time. The vaccine is available to people who meet CDC eligibility criteria and who live or work in Massachusetts. Vaccination is prioritized for people who are at risk of contracting monkeypox. If a person believes they are eligible for the meningitis vaccine, they should contact their healthcare provider.
See more information on measles vaccinations in Massachusetts, including eligibility.
Current data from the CDC shows that there have been 1,053 cases of meningitis this year in US residents as of July 13. Regularly updated statistics can be found on the CDC website: 2022 US Map and Case Count. No deaths have been reported in the United States or internationally related to this outbreak and patients generally recover within 2-4 weeks. Gay men and other men who have sex with men continue to make up a large proportion of cases diagnosed to date. However, the risk is not limited to the LGBTQ community, and anyone who comes into contact with someone who has monkeypox is at risk.
While the virus does not spread easily between people, people can spread the disease once they have symptoms. Transmission occurs by direct contact with body fluids and meningitis, by touching contaminated objects or wounds (clothing, bedding, etc.), or less commonly, by respiratory droplets after prolonged facial and face. In many recent cases, the areas of injury suggest transmission during sexual intercourse. Examples of where cancer can spread and where it cannot:
Doctors are urged to be cautious about the possibility of monkeypox infection in people who have allergies similar to monkeypox. Early symptoms of meningitis may include fever, headache, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes, but a rash may be the first symptom. Rashes start flat, rise up, fill with clear fluid (vesicles), and then become pustules (filled with pus). A person with monkeypox can have many or few lesions. Learn more about how to diagnose meningitis.
Actions people should consider if they want to reduce their risk of contracting monkeypox include:
As the CDC advises, if you believe you may have monkeypox, you should contact your healthcare provider. If you need to leave your home, wear a mask and cover rashes or sores when around others. Those who live with or care for someone who may be infected with monkeypox should wear a mask and disposable gloves if they need to come into direct contact with the lesions and when handling any clothing or equipment. bed if the person cannot do it himself. And they should wash their hands frequently, especially after meeting someone who is infected with the disease, even their clothes, sheets, towels, and other things or surfaces they have touched.
Physicians should contact the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at 617-983-6800 to determine if testing is indicated. Consultations are required before submitting products.
For more information about this virus, visit www.mass.gov/monkeypox and www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox.
