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As you may be aware, on August 1, Governor Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency to Support our State’s Response to Monkeypox (MPX). Today, Santa Barbara County has had its first confirmed case of Monkeypox. Our county has been preparing for this eventuality. This person has been isolated for the past seven days and will be quarantined. Our Public Health Department is prepared to activate its Infectious Disease Emergency Response (IDER) plan if/when the Disease Control program receives 3-5 confirmed cases within a 14-day period. This is the level the Disease Control program would need to access additional resources. There is a vaccination that helps to protect against monkeypox when given before or shortly after exposure. The vaccine supply is very limited and Santa Barbara County has only received 40 doses of the JYNNEOS Vaccine. The Public Health Department expects to receive a second allocation later in the summer. Vaccine supply will gradually increase later this year, but current supplies remain low.
Anyone can get monkeypox. Throughout the country, the LGBTQ community has been disproportionately impacted by Monkeypox. With a commitment to health equity, the Public Health Department is working with community organizations and key stakeholders to prevent the spread of monkeypox among community members who face the highest risk for exposure. See below what Monkeypox is, how it is transmitted, and its symptoms.
What you need to know:
- The current monkeypox situation is rapidly evolving
- Today we have the first confirmed case of Monkeypox in Santa Barbara County.
- The monkeypox virus spreads primarily through close, intimate contact with someone who has Monkeypox.
- If you have any symptoms of Monkeypox, talk to your healthcare provider, even if you don’t think you had contact with someone who has Monkeypox.
- CDC is urging healthcare providers in the United States to be alert for patients with rash illnesses consistent with Monkeypox.
What is Monkeypox?
Monkeypox is a rare disease caused by infection with the monkeypox virus. This virus is part of the same family of viruses as the virus that causes smallpox. Monkeypox is of public health concern because the illness is similar to smallpox and can be spread from infected humans, animals, and materials contaminated with the virus. Monkeypox is less transmissible and usually less severe than smallpox.
How it spreads:
Monkeypox spreads in different ways. The virus can spread from person to person through:
- Direct contact with the infectious rash, scabs, or body fluids
- Respiratory secretions during prolonged, face-to-face contact, or during intimate physical contact, such as kissing, cuddling, or sex
- Touching items (such as clothing or linens) that previously touched the infectious rash or body fluids
- Pregnant people can spread the virus to their fetus through the placenta
Monkeypox can spread from when symptoms start until the rash has fully healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. The illness typically lasts 2-4 weeks. People who do not have monkeypox symptoms cannot spread the virus to others. At this time, it is unknown whether Monkeypox can spread through semen or vaginal fluids.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of Monkeypox usually begin one to two weeks after infection. They include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and backache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Chills
- Exhaustion
- Respiratory symptoms (e.g. sore throat, nasal congestion, or cough)
- A rash that can look like pimples or blisters that appear on the face, inside the mouth, and on other parts of the body, like the hands, feet, chest, genitals, or anus.
- The rash goes through different stages before healing completely.
People with Monkeypox may experience all or only a few of these symptoms. Most with Monkeypox will develop the rash or sores. Some people have reported developing a rash or sores before (or without) the flu-like symptoms. Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until all sores have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed. This can take several weeks.
For more information, visit Santa Barbara County Public Health Department website.
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