“Monkeypox”: Public-health emergency announced in NY and new set of safety measures are being implemented

According to officials, the outbreak of the monkeypox virus has caused a public health emergency in New York City, which has been termed “the epicenter” of the outbreak.

As many as 1,50,000 residents of the city may be in danger of infection, according to the declaration made on Saturday by Mayor Eric Adams and Health Commissioner Ashwin Vasan. As a result of the announcement, authorities will be able to change the local health code and issue special orders to implement measures to assist reduce the transmission.

Monkeypox has been deemed an “imminent threat to public health” by the state health department and proclaimed a state disaster emergency by New York Governor Kathy Hochul in the previous two days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s data showed that as of Friday, New York had 1,345 cases. With 799, California ranks second.

“We will continue to work with our federal partners to secure more doses as soon as they become available,” Adams and Vasan said in the statement. “This outbreak must be met with urgency, action, and resources, both nationally and globally, and this declaration of a public health emergency reflects the seriousness of the moment.”

Monkeypox was deemed a worldwide health emergency by the World Health Organization on July 23. The formerly rare disease has been widespread in some areas of central and west Africa for years, but until May, when authorities discovered dozens of epidemics in Europe, North America, and other places, it was not known to cause significant outbreaks outside of the continent or to spread rapidly among people.

Since May, roughly 80 nations have reported more than 22,000 cases of monkeypox, with approximately 75 probable fatalities in Africa, predominantly in Nigeria and the Congo. The first cases of monkeypox-related mortality outside of Africa were reported on Friday in Brazil and Spain. A second monkeypox death was reported in Spain on Saturday.

Sharing clothing, blankets, and towels can also spread the virus as does prolonged, close skin-to-skin contact. Although health officials stress that the virus can infect anyone, males who have sex with other men have been the main group in Europe and North America to contract it.

The monkeypox virus type found in this outbreak seldom causes death, and patients often recover in a matter of weeks.