1st Monkeypox Case Reported In Ulster County

KINGSTON, NY — The first case of monkeypox reported in Ulster County was announce Saturday, bringing the total cases statewide to 1,960.

County Health Commissioner Dr. Carol Smith said her department is investigating the case., and they are planning to offer vaccines to close contacts, though the county has a limited supply.

According to the state Department of Health, as of Monday, here are the number of cases in New York:

• Albany: 3
• Broome: 1
• Chemung: 1
• Columbia: 1
• Dutchess: 5
• Erie: 5
• Greene: 1
• Monroe: 7
• Nassau: 14
• Niagara: 1
• Orange: 6
• Rockland: 4
• St. Lawrence: 1
• Suffolk: 25
• Sullivan: 2
• Tompkins: 2
• Westchester: 50
• New York City: 1,831

In the Hudson Valley, only Putnam County has not yet reported a case a monkeypox.

Health experts said monkeypox spreads through close, physical contact between people, meaning anyone can get monkeypox. However, based on the current outbreak, certain populations are being affected by monkeypox more than others, including men who have sex with men.

Symptoms of monkeypox can include rashes, bumps or blisters on or around the genitals or in other areas like your hands, feet, chest or face. You can have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, muscle aches, chills and fatigue. These may occur before or after the rash appears or not at all.

For more information on how monkeypox spreads and how you can protect yourself, go to the state health department's monkeypox website.