Feds Allocate WI Enough Monkeypox Vaccines For 743 People: DHS

WISCONSIN — More Wisconsinites will soon be able to receive a monkeypox vaccine after the Department of Health Services expanded eligibility.

The vaccine is recommended for people with certain risk factors for exposure and people who were exposed, but everyone should be aware of the disease's signs and symptoms. Health officials have so far detected 14 likely cases of the virus in Wisconsin, the DHS said in a news release Thursday.

The federal government has allocated 1,486 doses of the Jynneos vaccine to the Badger State, enough to vaccinate 743 people, the DHS said.

“Due to a limited vaccine supply, DHS is currently following the federal government’s recommendation to prioritize the JYNNEOS vaccine for individuals at the highest risk of infection,” said DHS Secretary Designee Karen Timberlake in a news release.

Related: What Is Monkeypox?

Among humans, the virus is chiefly spread through close physical contact, whether sexual or non-sexual, or by handling clothes or bedding used by an infected person. It can also be spread through respiratory droplets. Although it is not classified as a sexually transmitted disease, some U.S. experts say it could become an entrenched STD similar to gonorrhea, herpes and HIV.

The virus causing monkeypox doesn't spread easily, and the risk to the public remains low, health officials said. While many cases have been among men who have sex with men, anyone can get a monkeypox infection if they have contact with a sick person, the DHS said.

The DHS said Wisconsinites should take these precautions:

• Anyone with a rash that looks like monkeypox should talk to a health care provider about if they need to get tested.
• Avoid skin-to-skin contact with people who have a rash or skin sores, and do not share items or bedding with someone who has monkeypox.
• If you were exposed to the virus, contact a doctor or nurse about if you need a vaccine. Monitor yourself for fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes or new rashes, and contact a doctor if these occur.
• If you are sick with monkeypox isolate at home until the rash resolves, the scabs fall off, and a new layer of skin forms.

In Wisconsin, health officials found the state's first case in Dane County at the beginning of July.

The first case of monkeypox in Milwaukee was discovered around July 11, local health officials announced. At the time, Health Commissioner Kirsten Johnson said it was not surprising and that more cases could be expected.

While state officials have so far detected 14 cases in Wisconsin, other states have seen far more. Illinois has reported over 300 cases. In New York City, more than 1,000 cases have been reported.

The monkeypox virus has rarely been reported outside of Central and West Africa, where host animals include a range of rodents and monkeys. It can be easily spread from animals to humans through a bite or scratch, according to the WHO. The last time the United States saw a sizable outbreak was in 2003, when 70 cases were linked to the import of infected prairie dogs.

The DHS recommends vaccines for:

• People who know a sexual partner from the past two weeks was diagnosed with monkeypox.
• People who attended an event or venue where there was known monkeypox exposure.
• Gay, bisexual, trans and any other men who have sex with men who have had multiple sexual partners in the past two weeks.

Related:

Monkeypox: How Widespread Is It In Wisconsin?

2 Children Diagnosed With Monkeypox