Monkeypox Information Session Planned In Alexandria, Cases At 50

ALEXANDRIA, VA — As cases of monkeypox are reported and more people get vaccinated, Alexandria health officials will hold an information session to address community concerns.

The virtual information session on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 6:30 p.m. will be hosted by the Alexandria Health Department with the City of Alexandria. Health officials will discuss how the virus is spread, common symptoms, vaccine eligibility and how the city is keeping residents and businesses informed.

As of Sunday, Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson noted in a social media post Alexandria accounted for 50 of Virginia's 353 monkeypox cases. According to the Virginia Department of Health, 8,085 first doses of the JYNNEOS vaccine have been given, and 1,506 second doses were given. There have been 4,973 people vaccinated in the Northern Virginia region.

Monkeypox is a viral disease with symptoms similar to smallpox but usually less mild. The first case of monkeypox was reported in 1970. While the illness is normally contained to central and west Africa often near tropical rainforests, an outbreak is affecting the U.S. in 2022.

The most common symptom is a rash, bumps, or sores that can appear on the face, in the mouth or other parts of the body. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, muscle aches and backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills and exhaustion. Symptoms can appear five to 21 days after exposure and can last two to four weeks.

Many but not all cases have been reported among men who have sex with men. According to the Alexandria Health Department, monkeypox is spread through direct contact with the skin, clothes, bedding or bodily fluids of an infected person. It may also spread through large respiratory droplets like an infected person coughing or sneezing close to another person's face.

Currently, eligibility for the limited-supply JYNNEOS vaccine in Virginia is restricted to people who had anonymous sexual contact or more than one partner in the last 14 days, sex workers, staff at places where sexual activity occurs, or attendees of sex-on-premises venues like bathhouses, sex clubs and swingers’ events in the last 14 days.

Residents can fill out the Alexandria Health Department's monkeypox vaccine interest form or direct questions to 703-746-4988, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., or email alexhealth@vdh.virginia.gov.

Residents can register for the monkeypox information session and submit questions in advance.