Monkeypox cases in Pennsylvania exceed 500. What to know about the cases, symptoms
Monkeypox cases continue to climb in Pennsylvania, with the number of confirmed cases statewide at 516 as of Monday.
That figure is per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The bulk of those cases, 327, have been reported in Philadelphia, according to figures from the city updated Monday. The majority of confirmed cases there are among cisgender men, meaning men who identify as their birth gender.
Monkeypox isn’t a sexually transmitted disease, but spreads through close, skin-to-skin contact with infected individuals.
More than 94% of monkeypox cases in the U.S. are associated with sexual activity, and gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men account for the vast majority of cases nationwide, NPR reported.
Across the country, there are now more than 18,000 cases as of Monday, the CDC’s monkeypox data tracker showed.
Note: This graphic will automatically update as new data become available.
To date, Philadelphia has administered more than 4,500 monkeypox vaccine doses, with 93% of those going to males. Following concerns the vaccine doses are disproportionately going mostly to white people, officials released demographic data showing more than half of vaccine recipients are white.
Only about 1,000 doses have been administered to Black or African American people in Philadelphia, the data show. All told, Black Philadelphians make up 40% of the city’s population.
At least one case has been confirmed in Centre County. In an Aug. 17 release from Penn State, the university confirmed a student had tested positive Aug. 13.
The state’s health agency previously declined to release county-level data on cases, citing patient privacy. At that time in mid-August, five cases had been confirmed in the 12-county region of the state that includes Centre.
Rate of monkeypox spread may be slowing
Friday – and more than three months into the monkeypox outbreak in the U.S. – the CDC’s director indicated there are early signs the spread of the virus may be slowing.
CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told members of the media that while cases are still rising, the rate is lower.
“We’re really hopeful that many of our harm reduction messages and our vaccines are getting out there and working,” Walensky said, according to reporting by NPR.
Rates of new monkeypox infections have been slowing in the U.S., and health experts believe individuals who are most at risk of catching the disease are moderating their behavior to in turn reduce their risk, NPR reported.
Signs and symptoms of monkeypox
The name monkeypox is actually a misnomer. The virus was first isolated in 1958 in research monkeys, but its natural hosts are rodents and other small mammals. It is a cousin of smallpox, though much milder than that disease.
According to the CDC, primary symptoms of monkeypox include:
- A rash that may be located on or near the genitals (penis, testicles, labia and vagina) or anus and could be on other areas like the hands, feet, chest, face or mouth
- The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing
- The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy
Other symptoms can include:
Fever
Chills
Swollen lymph nodes
Exhaustion
Muscle aches and backache
Headache
Respiratory symptoms (e.g. sore throat, nasal congestion or cough)
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, people who think they may have been exposed to monkeypox should contact their health care provider, local health department or call 1-877-724-3258 to assess their risk and find out where to obtain a vaccine, if eligible.