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 U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
Of the cases that have been reported in the US, the CDC says it only has detailed information on about half of them. While the official count has now reached 13 in Riverside County, local health experts are concerned the county is facing a similar challenge.
A limited number of monkeypox vaccines are expected to be distributed to health care providers in the Coachella Valley in the next week or so, with specifics yet to be worked out, the Riverside University Health System announced Tuesday.
County health officials said this first probable case was detected in eastern Riverside County. Officials say it came as no surprise since at least 37 cases have been reported in California, the most of any state across the country.
