Riverside County Monkeypox Cases Increase, Vaccine Dashboard Released

Riverside County Public Health reported one new confirmed or probable monkeypox case Thursday, raising the overall number to 198.

A total of 96 probable or confirmed monkeypox cases have been reported in Palm Springs, making up almost half of the county’s aggregate count of 198, according to the latest RUHS data.

The county’s monkeypox statistics are available online at www.rivcoph.org/mpx/Data — a dashboard that shares a breakdown of cases in the county with city-by-city data and more.

Thursday, public health also released a vaccine dashboard online to provide details about distribution and allotment of the doses.

RivCo Public Health is now providing a MPX (Monkeypox) vaccine dashboard that provides details about all things MPX vaccine. Take a look https://t.co/ypeMjmleKe

— Jose Arballo (@rivcohealthpio) September 1, 2022

It can be found on the same web page as the monkeypox statistics.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the California Department of Public Health advise that the vaccine be prioritized for high- risk and exposed patients. Gay and bisexual men are at increased risk of contracting the virus, according to the CDC.

Monkeypox is generally spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact, resulting from infectious rashes and scabs, though respiratory secretions and bodily fluids exchanged during extended physical episodes such as sexual intercourse can also lead to transmission, according to the CDC.

Symptoms include pimples, blisters, rashes, fever and fatigue. There is no specific treatment. People who have been infected with smallpox, or have been vaccinated for it, may have immunity to monkeypox.

People with symptoms are urged to visit a medical provider, cover the rash area with clothing, wear a mask and avoid close or skin-to-skin contact with others.

The CDC particularly recommends those steps for people who recently traveled to an area where monkeypox cases have been reported or who have had contact with a confirmed or suspected monkeypox case.

A full list of countries that have confirmed monkeypox cases is available at wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/alert/monkeypox. A state-by-state tally of cases is available at www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/response/2022/us-map.html.