San Francisco's monkeypox emergency declaration ending as cases dwindle
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF/BCN) – The San Francisco Department of Public Health announced Thursday that a public health emergency declaration for monkeypox (MPX) will end on Oct. 31 as cases have dropped to less than one per day.
The declaration, which went into effect Aug. 1, came amid a rise in infections that peaked with 143 new MPX cases in San Francisco in the week starting July 24, according to city public health officials.
The city has also been ramping up its vaccinations against MPX to stop the spread of the virus, with more than 27,000 San Franciscans now having received the Jynneos vaccine.
Monkeypox is usually spread through prolonged skin-to-skin contact or bodily fluids. Symptoms can include a rash or sores on the skin anywhere on a patient's body. Contraction of the virus often begins with flu-like symptoms, with a rash or sores often appearing within one to three days.
While many cases have been confirmed among men who identify as gay or bisexual, public health officials have stressed that the virus is not exclusive to men who have sex with men, and anyone can contract monkeypox regardless of their sexual orientation.
In its announcement about the ending of the emergency declaration, the San Francisco Department of Public Health said the declaration "served its purpose to reflect the immediate urgency of the MPX threat to the health of those most affected in the gay, bisexual and trans communities. It also gave public health officials tools, such as collection of critical data, needed to respond effectively."
People are still encouraged to get the two-dose Jynneos vaccine, and public health officials said they will be continuing to respond to the outbreak and monitor trends with the virus.
More information on San Francisco's response to MPX and where to find the vaccine can be found at sf.gov/mpx.